principal buildings, and began immediately to put them in a state of
defence. This was fortunately an easy matter. The position was good and
adaptable. It consisted of three large enclosures, capable of holding
the entire force, situated in echelon, so as to protect each other by
their fire, and with strong brick walls six feet high. All were at once
set to work to clear the approaches, to level the mud houses without,
and to build ramparts or banquettes within the walls. The three
enclosures thus became three forts, and in the principal work the two
captured brass guns were mounted, in small bastions thrown out from the
north and west corners. While the infantry were thus engaged, Ruthven
and his camel-men made daily reconnaissances of the surrounding country,
and eagerly looked for the first appearance of Ahmed Fedil.

By great good fortune a convoy of ammunition from Mugatta reached
Gedaref on the afternoon of the 27th. At dawn the next day Ruthven
reported that the advance guard of Ahmed Fedil was approaching the town.
The attack began at half-past eight. The Dervishes, who fought with
their customary gallantry, simultaneously assaulted the north, south,
and west faces of the defences. Creeping forward through the high
doura, they were able to get within 300 yards of the enclosures. But the
intervening space had been carefully cleared of cover, and was swept by
the musketry of the defenders. All attempts to cross this ground--even
the most determined rushes--proved vain. While some made hopeless
charges towards the walls, others crowded into a few straw shelters
and mud huts which the troops had not found opportunity to remove, and
thence maintained a ragged fire. After an hour's heavy fusillade the
attack weakened, and presently ceased altogether. At ten o'clock,
however, strong reinforcements having come up, the Dervishes made a
second attempt. They were again repulsed, and at a quarter to eleven,
after losing more than 500 men in killed and wounded, Ahmed Fedil
admitted his defeat and retired to a clump of palm-trees two miles to
the west of the town. The casualties among the defenders were five men
killed, one British officer (Captain Dwyer) and thirteen men wounded.

The Dervishes remained for two days in the palm grove, and their leader
repeatedly endeavoured to induce them to renew the attack. But although
they closely surrounded the enclosures, and maintained a dropping fire,
they refused to knock their head