d's famous zeriba, which for more than a month
had been the predominant thought in the minds of the troops. It was
scarcely imposing, and at first the soldiers thought it deserted. Only
a dozen stray horsemen sat silently on their horses outside the
entrenchment, watching their enemies, and inside a few dirty-white
figures appeared and disappeared behind the parapets. Yet, insignificant
as the zeriba looked, the smoke of many fires cooking the morning
meal--never to be eaten--showed that it was occupied by men; and gay
banners of varied colour and device, flaunting along the entrenchments
or within the enclosure, declared that some at least were prepared to
die in its defence.

The hush of the hour and the suspense of the army were broken by the
bang of a gun. Everyone on the ridge jumped up and looked towards
the sound. A battery of Krupps a little to the right of the Cameron
Highlanders had opened fire. Another gun further to the right was fired.
Another shell burst over the straw huts among the palm-trees. The two
Maxim-Nordenfeldt batteries had come into action. The officers looked at
their watches. It was a quarter-past six. The bombardment had begun.

Explosion followed explosion in quick succession until all four
batteries were busily engaged. The cannonade grew loud and continuous.
The rocket detachment began to fire, and the strange projectiles hissed
and screamed as they left the troughs and jerked erratically towards the
zeriba. In the air above the enclosure shell after shell flashed into
existence, smote the ground with its leaden shower, and dispersed--a
mere film--into the haze and smoke which still hung over the Dervish
encampment. At the very first shot all the dirty-white figures
disappeared, bobbing down into their pits and shelters; but a few
solitary horsemen remained motionless for a while in the middle of the
enclosure, watching the effect of the fire, as if it had no concern with
them. The British infantry stood up on tip-toe to look at the
wonderful spectacle of actual war, and at first every shell was eagerly
scrutinised and its probable effect discussed. But the busy gunners
multiplied the projectiles until so many were alive in the air at once
that all criticism was prevented. Gradually even the strange sight
became monotonous. The officers shut up their glasses. The men began to
sit down again. Many of them actually went to sleep. The rest were soon
tired of the amazing scene, the like of w