y moved prepared for immediate action, and all
the cavalry were thrown out ten miles in front in a great screen which
reached from the gunboats on the river to the Camel Corps far out in the
desert.

When we had advanced a little further, there arose above the scrub the
dark outlines of a rocky peak, the hill of Merreh. The whole of the 21st
Lancers now concentrated, and, trotting quickly forward, occupied this
position, whence a considerable tract of country was visible. We were
hardly twenty-five miles from Khartoum, and of that distance at least
ten miles were displayed. Yet there were no enemy. Had they all fled?
Would there be no opposition? Should we find Omdurman deserted or
submissive? These were questions which occurred to everyone, and many
answered them affirmatively. Colonel Martin had meanwhile heliographed
back to the Sirdar that all the ground was up to this point clear, and
that there were no Dervishes to be seen. After some delay orders were
signalled back for one squadron to remain till sunset in observation on
the hill and for the rest to return to camp.

With two troops thrown out a mile in front we waited watching on the
hill. Time passed slowly, for the sun was hot. Suddenly it became
evident that one of the advanced troops was signalling energetically.
The message was spelt out. The officer with the troop perceived
Dervishes in his front. We looked through our glasses. It was true.
There, on a white patch of sand among the bushes of the plain, were a
lot of little brown spots, moving slowly across the front of the cavalry
outposts towards an Egyptian squadron, which was watching far out to the
westward. There may have been seventy horsemen altogether. We could
not take our eyes off those distant specks we had travelled so far, if
possible, to destroy. Presently the Dervish patrol approached our right
troop, and apparently came nearer than they imagined, for the officer
who commanded--Lieutenant Conolly--opened fire on them with carbines,
and we saw them turn and ride back, but without hurrying.

The camp to which we returned was a very different place from the one we
had left in the morning. Instead of lying along the river-bank, it was
pitched in the thinner scrub. The bushes had on all sides been cut down,
the ground cleared, and an immense oblong zeriba was built, around
which the six brigades were drawn up, and into which cavalry, guns, and
transport were closely packed.

Very early next m