the Jaalin ammunition was exhausted a strong force of the
Dervishes penetrated the northern face of their defences, which was held
only by spearmen. The whole of Mahmud's army poured in through the
gap, and the garrison, after a stubborn resistance, were methodically
exterminated. An inhuman butchery of the children and some of the women
followed. Abdalla-Wad-Saad was among the killed.

A few of the Jaalin who had escaped from the general destruction fled
towards Gakdul. Here they found the Camel Corps with their caravan of
rifles and ammunition. Like another force that had advanced by this
very road to carry succour to men in desperate distress, the relief had
arrived too late. The remnants of the Jaalin were left in occupation of
Gakdul Wells. The convoy and its escort returned to Korti.

But while the attention of the Khalifa was directed to these matters, a
far more serious menace offered from another quarter. Unnoticed by the
Dervishes, or, if noticed, unappreciated, the railway was stretching
farther and farther into the desert. By the middle of July it had
reached the 130th mile, and, as is related in the last chapter, work had
to be suspended until Abu Hamed was in the hands of the Egyptian forces.
The Nile was rising fast. Very soon steamers would be able to pass the
Fourth Cataract. It should have been evident that the next movement in
the advance of the 'Turks' impended. The Khalifa seems, indeed, to
have understood that the rise of the river increased his peril,
for throughout July he continued to send orders to the Emir in
Berber--Yunes--that he should advance into the Monassir district, harry
such villages as existed, and obstruct the frequent reconnaissances from
Merawi. Yunes, however, preferred to do otherwise, and remained on the
left bank opposite Berber until, at length, his master recalled him to
Omdurman to explain his conduct. Meanwhile, determined with mathematical
exactness by the rise of the Nile and progress of the railway, the
moment of the Egyptian advance arrived.

At the end of July preparations were made, as secretly as possible, to
despatch a flying column against Abu Hamed. The Dervish garrison, under
Mohammed-ez-Zein, was not believed to exceed 600 men, but in order that
there should be no doubt as to the result it was determined to employ a
strong force.

A brigade of all arms was formed as follows:--

Commanding: MAJOR-GENERAL HUNTER

Cavalry....... One troop
Artiller