a alight. Then, concentrating
all their force on one part of the defence, they burst into the
enclosure and town. The division of Wad Ali, a fourth part of the entire
Dervish army, which bore the brunt of this attack, was almost completely
destroyed. The interior of the zeriba was crowded with women and
children, who were ruthlessly butchered by the exultant Abyssinians. The
assailants scattered in all directions in search of plunder, and they
even had time to begin to disinter the body of Abu Anga, which they were
eager to insult in revenge for Gondar. The Dervishes already wavered;
their ammunition began to fail, when suddenly a rumour spread about
among the Abyssinians that the King was killed. Seizing what booty
they could snatch, the victorious army began a general retreat, and the
zeriba was soon cleared. The Arabs were too exhausted to pursue, but
when on the following day the attack was not renewed they learned, to
their surprise, that they were the victors and that their enemy was
falling back towards the Atbara river. Zeki Tummal resolved to pursue,
and his army were further incited to the chase by the fact that the
Abyssinians had carried off with them a large number of Dervish women,
including the harem of the late beloved Abu Anga. Two days after the
battle the Dervishes overtook the enemy's rearguard and, surprising
their camp, inflicted severe loss and captured much booty. The temporary
Negus who had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
King John was among the killed. The body of that courageous monarch fell
into the hands of the Dervishes, who struck off the head and sent
it--a tangible proof of victory--to Omdurman. The Abyssinians, still
formidable, made good their retreat; nor did Zeki Tummal venture to
follow into the mountains. Internal difficulties within his dominions
prevented the new Negus from resuming the offensive, and thus the
Dervish-Abyssinian war dwindled down to, as it had arisen out of,
frontier raids.

The arrival in Omdurman of King John's head intoxicated the Khalifa with
joy. Abyssinia was regarded throughout the Soudan as a far greater power
than Egypt, and here was its mighty ruler slain and decapitated. But the
victory had been dearly purchased. The two great battles had been
fought with indescribable ferocity by both sides, and the slaughter
was appalling. No reliable statistics are avaliable, but it may be
reasonably asserted that neither side sustained a l