e teeth glistening and the sheen of their
brandished weapons flashing like thousands of mirrors; onward they came
against us."

The writer says:--"A volley of shot was sent into them at 150 yards; at
least one hundred Arabs fell, and their force wavered, as a man stops to
get his breath; but the forces behind them came leaping over their
falling brethren, and came charging straight into our ranks. I was at
that instant inside the square, when I noticed our men shuffling
backwards. Some say Colonel Burnaby issued an order for the men to fall
back, but I did not hear it. Burnaby rode out apparently to assist our
skirmishers, who were running in, hard pressed: all but one succeeding in
getting inside the square: Burnaby went, sword in hand, on his borrowed
nag, for his own had been shot under him that morning--he put himself in
the way of a Sheik who was charging down on horseback. Ere the Arab
closed with him a bullet from some in our ranks brought the Sheik
headlong to the ground. The enemy's spearmen were close behind, and one
of them clashed at Colonel Burnaby, pointing the long blade of his spear
at his throat. Burnaby leant forward in his saddle and parried the
Moslem's thrusts; but the length of the weapon (8 feet or more) made it
difficult to deal a blow as desired. Once or twice the Colonel managed
to touch him. This only made him the more alert. Burnaby fenced
smartly, just as if he was playing in an assault-at-arms, and there was a
smile on his features as he drove off the man's awkward points. With
that lightning instinct which I have seen the desert warrior display in
battle, whilst coming to another's aid, an Arab who had been pursuing a
soldier, passed five paces to Burnaby's right and rear, and, turning with
a sudden spring, this second Arab ran his spear point into the Colonel's
right shoulder! It was but a slight wound, enough though to cause
Burnaby to twist round in his saddle to defend himself from this
unexpected attack. One of our soldiers saw the situation, and ran and
drove his sword bayonet through this second assailant. As the soldier
withdrew his steel the ferocious Arab wriggled round and tried to reach
him. This he could not do, for he reeled and fell over. Brief as was
Burnaby's glance at this second assailant, it was long enough for the
first Arab to deliver his spear-point thrust full in the brave officer's
throat. The blow brought Burnaby out of his saddle; but it required s