ition, and poured a heavy
and continuous fire of shrapnel and double shell into all the forts,
gradually subduing their resistance. The fugitives from the batteries,
and small parties of Baggara horse who galloped about on the open plain
between the works and the town, afforded good targets to the Maxims, and
many were licked up even at extreme ranges.

No sooner had the gunboats passed the forts than the Dervish fire ceased
entirely, and it was discovered that their embrasures only commanded the
northern approach. As the guns could not be pointed to the southward,
the flotilla need fear nothing from any fort that had been left behind.
The officers were congratulating themselves on the folly of their foes,
when danger threatened from another quarter. The boats had hugged the
eastern bank as closely as possible during their duel with the forts.
They were scarcely a hundred yards from the shore, when suddenly a sharp
fire of musketry was opened from twenty or thirty Dervish rifle-men
concealed in the mimosa scrub. The bullets pattered all over the decks,
but while many recorded narrow escapes no one was actually hit, and the
Maxim guns, revolving quickly on their pivots, took a bloody vengeance
for the surprise. The flotilla then steamed slowly past the town, and,
having thoroughly reconnoitred it, turned about and ran down stream,
again exchanging shells with the Dervish artillery. All firing ceased at
half-past two; but six sailing-boats containing grain were captured on
the return voyage, and with these the gunboats retired in triumph to
a small island six miles north of Metemma, where they remained for the
night.

It being now known that bombarding the Dervishes was no less enjoyable
than exciting, it was determined to spend another day with them; and at
four o'clock the next morning the flotilla again steamed southward, so
as to be in position opposite Metemma before daylight. Fire was opened
on both sides with the dawn, and it was at once evident that the
Dervishes had not been idle during the night. It appeared that on the
previous day Mahmud had expected a land attack from the direction of
Gakdul, and had placed part of his artillery and nearly all his army in
position to resist it. But as soon as he was convinced that the gunboats
were unsupported he moved several of the landward guns into the river
forts, and even built two new works, so that on the 17th the Dervishes
brought into action eleven guns, firing fro