closed by the dawn. It was a perilous
undertaking, for he might have found them unexpectedly near. As the sun
rose, the 21st Lancers trotted out of the zeriba and threw out a spray
of officers' patrols. As there had been no night attack, it was expected
that the Dervish army would have retired to their original position
or entered the town. It was hardly conceivable that they would advance
across the open ground to attack the zeriba by daylight. Indeed, it
appeared more probable that their hearts had failed them in the night,
and that they had melted away into the desert. But these anticipations
were immediately dispelled by the scene which was visible from the crest
of the ridge.

It was a quarter to six. The light was dim, but growing stronger every
minute. There in the plain lay the enemy, their numbers unaltered,
their confidence and intentions apparently unshaken. Their front was
now nearly five miles long, and composed of great masses of men joined
together by thinner lines. Behind and near to the flanks were large
reserves. From the ridge they looked dark blurs and streaks, relieved
and diversified with an odd-looking shimmer of light from the
spear-points. At about ten minutes to six it was evident that the masses
were in motion and advancing swiftly. Their Emirs galloped about and
before their ranks. Scouts and patrols scattered themselves all over the
front. Then they began to cheer. They were still a mile away from the
hill, and were concealed from the Sirdar's army by the folds of the
ground. The noise of the shouting was heard, albeit faintly, by the
troops down by the river. But to those watching on the hill a tremendous
roar came up in waves of intense sound, like the tumult of the rising
wind and sea before a storm.

The British and Egyptian forces were arranged in line, with their back
to the river. The flanks were secured by the gunboats lying moored in
the stream. Before them was the rolling sandy plain, looking from the
slight elevation of the ridge smooth and flat as a table. To the right
rose the rocky hills of the Kerreri position, near which the Egyptian
cavalry were drawn up--a dark solid mass of men and horses. On the left
the 21st Lancers, with a single squadron thrown out in advance, were
halted watching their patrols, who climbed about Surgham Hill, stretched
forward beyond it, or perched, as we did, on the ridge.

The ground sloped gently up from the river; so that it seemed as if the
la