men two miles
before the town. The situation was grave. A retreat through the broken
country and thick bush in the face of a powerful and triumphant enemy
seemed impossible. There was no alternative but to attack.

Very early on the morning of the 22nd--the same day on which General
Hunter on the Blue Nile was compelling Musa Digna and his followers to
surrender--Colonel Parsons and the Kassala column set forth to march
into Gedaref and to fight whatever force it might contain. For the first
two hours the road lay through doura plantations and high grass which
rose above the heads even of men mounted on camels; but as the town was
approached, the doura ceased, and the troops emerged from the jungle on
to an undulating moorland with occasional patches of rushes and withered
grass. At half-past seven, and about three miles from Gedaref, the
enemy's scouts were encountered. A few shots were fired. The soldiers
pressed their march, and at eight o'clock had reached a small knoll,
from the top of which an extensive view was obtainable. The column
halted, and Colonel Parsons and his officers ascended the eminence to
reconnoitre.

A most menacing spectacle confronted them. Scarcely a mile away a strong
force of Dervishes was rapidly advancing to meet the invaders. Four
lines of white figures rising out of the grass showed by their length
the number, and by their regularity the discipline, of the enemy. The
officers computed the strength of their antagonists at not fewer than
4,000. Subsequent investigation has shown that the Emir Saadalla marched
out of Gedaref with 1,700 riflemen, 1,600 spearmen, and 300 horse.

The swiftness of the Dervish advance and the short space that intervened
between the forces made it evident that a collision would take place
within half an hour. The valley was rocky, and overgrown with grass and
reeds; but to the right of the track there rose a high saddleback hill,
the surface of which looked more open, and which appeared to command
the approaches from Gedaref. The troops knew nothing of the country;
the Dervishes understood it thoroughly. The high ground gave at least
advantage of view. Colonel Parsons resolved to occupy it. Time was
however, very scanty.

The order was given, and the column began to double across the valley
towards the saddleback. The Dervishes, perceiving the nature of the
movement, hurried their advance in the hope of catching the troops on
the move and perhaps of even seiz