and the quiet was
exchanged for bustle and animation. Men laughed and joked with each
other in the highest spirits, and all prepared for the fray with the
most absolute confidence as to the result. As the troops fell in the
general with his staff galloped ahead to some rising ground, and with
their field-glasses reconnoitred the hills surrounding the pass, upon
which numbers of white-robed Arabs could be made out.

The Hussars speedily reported that there was a considerable force in the
pass below. With the fighting men in front and the baggage behind, the
troops moved slowly forward up the hill in front, and finally took up
their position on a piece of flat ground whence they could see down the
pass by which the Arabs expected the advance would be made. On the side
of the hills commanding it they had thrown up small stone walls from
which to fire. On the hilltops out of range large numbers of Arabs could
be seen in constant motion, gesticulating and waving their arms. It was
now four o'clock in the afternoon, and the general decided that as the
real force of the enemy was unknown it would be imprudent to attempt to
force the passage with only an hour and a half of daylight before him,
consequently a halt for the night was ordered.

A strong detachment of Mounted Infantry and sailors with their Gardner
ascended a hill on the other side of the pass and set to work to build
a small fort and mount the gun there. A company from each of the camel
regiments extended to cover the front. The camels were all made to
kneel, their legs being lashed at the knee so that they could not rise.
This done, the whole of the troops were set to work to build a wall.
There were, however, but few loose stones lying about, and though
officers and men alike worked hard the wall in front was but two feet
high when the sun went down. A hedge of thorny bushes and wire was
raised to protect the flanks as much as possible.

As twilight fell a number of the enemy took possession of the top of a
hill some twelve hundred yards away on the right and opened fire, to
which the three guns of the artillery replied with shrapnel-shell. The
guns ceased firing when darkness came on, but the enemy kept up an
occasional fire all night. A drink of lime-juice and water was served
out to all the men, who then lay down, with their arms in readiness to
repel an attack, by the little wall. All night the enemy kept on beating
tom-toms and occasionally yelling, approa