and the
irregular riflemen; and so the converging fire of the whole force was
brought to bear upon the enemy--now completely beaten and demoralised.
Two Dervishes, brothers, bound together hand and foot, perished in
valiant comradeship ninety-five paces from the line of guns. Many were
slain, and the remainder fled. The whole Egyptian line now advanced upon
the encampment hard upon the tracks of the retreating enemy, who were
seen emerging from the scrub on to a grassy plain more than a mile away,
across which and further for a distance of five miles they were pursued
by the cavalry and the Camel Corps. Three hundred and twenty corpses
were counted, and at least an equal number must have been wounded. Ahmed
Fedil and one or two of his principal Emirs escaped to the southward
and to the Khalifa. The Egyptian loss amounted to five men wounded. The
troops bivouacked in square formation, at about four o'clock, near the
scene of action.

A question of considerable difficulty and some anxiety now arose. It was
learned from the prisoners that the Khalifa, with about 5,000 fighting
men, was moving northwards towards the wells of Gedid, of which we
have already heard in the Shirkela reconnaissance, and which were some
twenty-five miles from the scene of the fight. The troops were already
fatigued by their severe exertions. The water pool was so foul that even
the thirsty camels refused to drink of it, and moreover scarcely any
water remained in the tanks. It was therefore of vital importance to
reach the wells of Gedid. But supposing exhausted troops famishing for
water reached them only to be confronted by a powerful Dervish force
already in possession! Sir Reginald Wingate decided, however, to face
the risk, and at a few minutes before midnight the column set out again
on its road. The ground was broken; the night was sultry: and as the
hours passed by the sufferings of the infantry began to be most acute.
Many piteous appeals were made for water. All had perforce to be refused
by the commander, who dared not diminish by a mouthful his slender store
until he knew the true situation at Gedid. In these circumstances the
infantry, in spite of their admirable patience, became very restive.
Many men fell exhausted to the ground; and it was with a feeling of
immense relief that at nine o'clock on the morning of the 24th news
was received from the cavalry that the wells had been occupied by them
without opposition. All the water in t