ndward ends of the Surgham and Kerreri ridges curved in towards each
other, enclosing what lay between. Beyond the long swell of sand which
formed the western wall of this spacious amphitheatre the black shapes
of the distant hills rose in misty confusion. The challengers were
already in the arena; their antagonists swiftly approached.

Although the Dervishes were steadily advancing, a belief that their
musketry was inferior encouraged a nearer view, and we trotted round the
south-west slopes of Surgham Hill until we reached the sandhills on the
enemy's side, among which the regiment had waited the day before. Thence
the whole array was visible in minute detail. It seemed that every
single man of all the thousands could be examined separately. The pace
of their march was fast and steady, and it was evident that it would not
be safe to wait long among the sandhills. Yet the wonder of the scene
exercised a dangerous fascination, and for a while we tarried.

The emblems of the more famous Emirs were easily distinguishable. On the
extreme left the chiefs and soldiers of the bright green flag gathered
under Ali-Wad-Helu; between this and the centre the large dark green
flag of Osman Sheikh-ed-Din rose above a dense mass of spearmen,
preceded by long lines of warriors armed presumably with rifles; over
the centre, commanded by Yakub, the sacred Black banner of the Khalifa
floated high and remarkable; while on the right a great square of
Dervishes was arrayed under an extraordinary number of white flags,
amid which the red ensign of Sherif was almost hidden. All the pride and
might of the Dervish Empire were massed on this last great day of its
existence. Riflemen who had helped to destroy Hicks, spearmen who had
charged at Abu Klea, Emirs who saw the sack of Gondar, Baggara fresh
from raiding the Shillooks, warriors who had besieged Khartoum--all
marched, inspired by the memories of former triumphs and embittered by
the knowledge of late defeats, to chastise the impudent and accursed
invaders.

The advance continued. The Dervish left began to stretch out across
the plain towards Kerreri--as I thought, to turn our right flank. Their
centre, under the Black Flag, moved directly towards Surgham. The right
pursued a line of advance south of that hill. This mass of men were the
most striking of all. They could not have mustered fewer than 6,000.
Their array was perfect. They displayed a great number of flags--perhaps
500--which