hich they had never looked
on before, and awaited impatiently further developments and 'some new
thing.'

After the bombardment had lasted about ten minutes a great cloud of dust
sprang up in the zeriba, and hundreds of horsemen were seen scrambling
into their saddles and galloping through a gap in the rear face out into
the open sand to the right. To meet the possibility of an attempt to
turn the left flank of the attack, the eight squadrons of cavalry and
two Maxim guns jingled and clattered off in the direction of the danger.
The dust, which the swift passage of so many horsemen raised, shut the
scene from the eyes of the infantry, but continual dust-clouds above
the scrub to the left and the noise of the Maxims seemed to indicate a
cavalry fight. The Baggara horse, however, declined an unequal combat,
and made no serious attempt to interfere with the attack. Twice they
showed some sort of front, and the squadrons thought they might find
opportunity to charge; but a few rounds from the Maxims effectually
checked the enemy, inflicting on each occasion the loss of about twenty
killed and wounded. With the exception of one squadron detached on the
right, the Egyptian cavalry force, however, remained on the left flank,
and shielded the operations of the assaulting infantry.

Meanwhile the bombardment--no longer watched with curiosity--continued
with accuracy and precision. The batteries searched the interior of the
zeriba, threshing out one section after another, and working the whole
ground regularly from front to rear. The zeriba and palisades were
knocked about in many places, and at a quarter to seven a cluster of
straw huts caught fire and began to burn briskly. At a quarter-past
seven the infantry were ordered to form in column for assault.

The plan of the attack for the army was simple. The long, deployed line
were to advance steadily against the entrenchments, subduing by their
continual fire that of the enemy. They were then to tear the zeriba to
pieces. Covered by their musketry, the dense columns of assault which
had followed the line were to enter the defences through the gaps,
deploy to the right, and march through the enclosure, clearing it with
the bayonet and by fire.

At twenty minutes to eight the Sirdar ordered his bugles to sound the
general advance. The call was repeated by all the brigades, and the
clear notes rang out above the noise of the artillery. The
superior officers--with the exception