s premature. The Khalifa still
remained undefeated west of Surgham Hill; Ali-Wad-Helu lurked behind
Kerreri; Osman was rapidly re-forming. There were still at least 35,000
men on the field. Nor, as the event proved, was it possible to enter
Omdurman until they had been beaten.

As soon as the infantry had replenished their ammunition, they wheeled
to the left in echelon of brigades, and began to march towards Surgham
ridge. The movements of a great force are slow. It was not desirable
that the British division, which led the echelon, should remain in the
low ground north of Surgham--where they were commanded, had no field of
fire, and could see nothing--and accordingly both these brigades moved
forward almost together to occupy the crest of the ridge. Thus two steps
of the ladder were run into one, and Maxwell's brigade, which followed
Wauchope's, was 600 yards further south than it would have been had the
regular echelon been observed. In the zeriba MacDonald had been next
to Maxwell. But a very significant change in the order was now made.
General Hunter evidently conceived the rear of the echelon threatened
from the direction of Kerreri. Had the earth swallowed all the thousands
who had moved across the plain towards the hills? At any rate, he would
have his best brigade and his most experienced general in the post of
possible danger. He therefore ordered Lewis's brigade to follow Maxwell,
and left MacDonald last of all, strengthening him with three batteries
of artillery and eight Maxim guns. Collinson marched with the transport.
MacDonald moved out westward into the desert to take his place in the
echelon, and also to allow Lewis to pass him as ordered. Lewis hurried
on after Maxwell, and, taking his distance from him, was thus also 600
yards further south than the regular echelon admitted. The step
which had been absorbed when both British brigades moved
off--advisedly--together, caused a double gap between MacDonald and the
rest of the army. And this distance was further increased by the fact
that while he was moving west, to assume his place in correct echelon,
the other five brigades were drawing off to the southward. Hence
MacDonald's isolation.

At 9.15 the whole army was marching south in echelon, with the rear
brigade at rather more than double distance. Collinson had already
started with the transport, but the field hospitals still remained in
the deserted zeriba, busily packing up. The medical staff had