slow,
remorseless advance; and it was evident that, in spite of the fierce
fire of the defence, which was now causing many casualties, the assault
would be successful.

The loss during the passage of the zeriba and in the assault of the
entrenchments was severe. Captain Findlay and Major Urquhart, of the
Cameron Highlanders, were both mortally wounded in the fight at the
stockades, and expired still cheering on their men. Major Napier, of
the same regiment, and Captain Baillie, of the Seaforth Highlanders,
received the wounds, of which they subsequently died, a few yards
further on. At all points the troops broke into the enclosure.
Behind the stockade there ran a treble trench. The whole interior was
honeycombed with pits and holes. From these there now sprang thousands
of Dervishes, desperately endeavouring to show a front to the attack.
Second-Lieutenant Gore, a young officer fresh from Sandburst, was shot
dead between the thorn fence and the stockade. Other officers in the
Lincoln and the Warwickshire regiments sustained severe wounds. Many
soldiers were killed and wounded in the narrow space. These losses were
general throughout the assaulting brigades. In the five minutes which
were occupied in the passage of the obstruction about four hundred
casualties occurred. The attack continued.

The British brigade had struck the extremity of the north front of
the zeriba, and thus took the whole of the eastern face in enfilade,
sweeping it with their terrible musketry from end to end, and strewing
the ground with corpses. Although, owing to the lines of advance having
converged, there was not room for more than half the force to deploy,
the brigades pushed on. The conduct of the attack passed to the company
commanders. All these officers kept their heads, and brought their
companies up into the general line as the front gradually widened
and gaps appeared. So the whole force--companies, battalions, even
brigades--mixed up together and formed in one dense, ragged, but
triumphant line, marched on unchecked towards the river bed, driving
their enemies in hopeless confusion before them. Yet, although the
Dervishes were unable to make head against the attack, they disdained to
run. Many hundreds held their ground, firing their rifles valiantly till
the end. Others charged with spear and sword. The greater part retired
in skirmishing order, jumping over the numerous pits, walking across the
open spaces, and repeatedly turning