on. Another followed. At the third shot,
instead of the white smoke, there was a prodigious cloud of red dust,
in which the whole tomb disappeared. When this cleared away we saw that,
instead of being pointed, it was now flat-topped. Other shells continued
to strike it with like effect, some breaking holes in the dome, others
smashing off the cupolas, all enveloping it in dust.

All this time the Dervishes were coming nearer, and the steady and
continuous advance of the great army compelled the Egyptian cavalry to
mount their horses and trot off to some safer point of view. Colonel
Broadwood conceived his direct line of retreat to camp threatened, and
shortly after one o'clock he began a regular retirement. Eight squadrons
of Egyptian cavalry and the Horse Artillery moved off first. Five
companies of the Camel Corps, a Maxim gun section, and the ninth
squadron of cavalry followed as a rear-guard under Major Tudway. The
Dervish horsemen contented themselves with firing occasional shots,
which were replied to by the Camel Corps with volleys whenever the
ground was suited to dismounted action. From time to time one of the
more daring Arabs would gallop after the retreating squadrons, but
a shot from a carbine or a threatened advance always brought the
adventurous horseman to a halt. The retirement was continued without
serious interference, and the boggy ground of the Khor Shambat was
recrossed in safety.

As soon as the Egyptian squadrons--a darker mass under the dark hills
to the westward--were seen to be in retirement, the 21st Lancers were
withdrawn slowly along the sandy ridge towards the rocks of Surgham--the
position whence we had first seen the Dervish army. The regiment wheeled
about and fell back by alternate wings, dropping two detached troops to
the rear and flanks to make the enemy's patrols keep their distance.
But when the Arab horsemen saw all the cavalry retiring they became very
bold, and numerous small groups of fives and sixes began to draw
nearer at a trot. Accordingly, whenever the ground was favourable, the
squadrons halted in turn for a few minutes to fire on them. In this way
perhaps half-a-dozen were killed or wounded. The others, however, paid
little attention to the bullets, and continued to pry curiously, until
at last it was thought necessary to send a troop to drive them away. The
score of Lancers galloped back towards the inquisitive patrols in
the most earnest fashion. The Dervishes, altho