onfusion in the rear face, caused by the lagging camels. Skirmishers
were thrown out on either side, and these did their best to keep down
the fire of the enemy. For an hour the square proceeded, and had nearly
emerged from the pass on to the plain beyond, when a number of green and
white flags were seen at some distance on the left front. As the firing
had principally come from the right, and as it was from that side that
an attack was expected, there was considerable curiosity as to the
meaning of these seemingly deserted flags; and a small party were about
to go out to investigate them, when a great number of other flags
suddenly appeared at the same spot, and a moment later a vast mass of
Arabs who had been concealed in a gulley sprang to their feet. (See plan
on page 138.)

They were about five hundred yards distant from the square, which was at
the moment halted at the foot of a stony knoll. It was moved at once on
to the rising ground, and the skirmishers were called in. The Arabs with
wild yells moved across the left front, disappeared for a minute behind
some rocks and high grass, and then reappeared close to the left rear,
when they wheeled into line, and with wild yells charged down upon the
square. So quick were their movements that the skirmishers had hardly
time to reach the square, and one man was overtaken and speared before
he reached it.

Several of the exhausted camels with their loads of wounded had been
left outside, lying down at the foot of the slope when the square moved
up it. Their native drivers rushed into shelter, and the wounded would
have fallen into the hands of the enemy had not an officer of the
Guards' Camel Corps and several privates of the Heavies rushed out,
seized the camels, and by main force dragged them into the square. In
the square itself there was a din of voices, the officers shouting to
the men to stand steady and reserve their fire until the skirmishers,
who were between them and the enemy, had run in. The instant they had
done this a roar of musketry broke out from the left and rear faces
of the square, at first in volleys, then in independent fire as fast as
the men could load; but though scores of the enemy fell, their rush was
not checked for a moment, and with wild yells they fell upon the left
corner of the square.

[Illustration: "THE ARABS WITH WILD YELLS CHARGED UPON THE SQUARE."]

The men were but two deep, and were unable to stand the pressure of the
mass of