endous, and the sound was even louder than
during the attack on the zeriba. As each fresh battalion was brought
into line the tumult steadily increased. The three leading brigades
continued to advance westward in one long line looped up over Surgham
Hill, and with the right battalion held back in column. As the forces
gradually drew nearer, the possibility of the Dervishes penetrating
the gap between Lewis and MacDonald presented itself, and the flank
battalion was wheeled into line so as to protect the right flank.
The aspect of the Dervish attack was at this moment most formidable.
Enormous masses of men were hurrying towards the smoke-clouds that
almost hid MacDonald. Other masses turned to meet the attack which was
developing on their right. Within the angle formed by the three brigades
facing west and MacDonald facing nearly south a great army of not fewer
than 15,000 men was enclosed, like a flock of sheep in a fold, by
the thin brown lines of the British and Egyptian brigades. As the 7th
Egyptians, the right battalion of Lewis's brigade and nearest the gap
between that unit and MacDonald, deployed to protect the flank, they
became unsteady, began to bunch and waver, and actually made several
retrograde movements. There was a moment of danger; but General Hunter,
who was on the spot, himself ordered the two reserve companies of the
15th Egyptians under Major Hickman to march up behind them with fixed
bayonets. Their morale was thus restored and the peril averted. The
advance of the three brigades continued.

Yakub found himself utterly unable to withstand the attack from
the river. His own attack on MacDonald languished. The musketry was
producing terrible losses in his crowded ranks. The valiant Wad Bishara
and many other less famous Emirs fell dead. Gradually he began to give
ground. It was evident that the civilised troops were the stronger. But
even before the attack was repulsed, the Khalifa, who watched from
a close position, must have known that the day was lost; for when
he launched Yakub at MacDonald, it was clear that the only chance of
success depended on Ali-Wad-Helu and Osman Sheikh-ed-Din attacking at
the same time from Kerreri. And with bitter rage and mortification
he perceived that, although the banners were now gathering under the
Kerreri Hills, Ali and Osman were too late, and the attacks which
should have been simultaneous would only be consecutive. The effect
of Broadwood's cavalry action upon