by the Egyptians to Italy,
made a triumphant entry into Asmara, and absolutely refused to make any
further efforts to extricate Egyptian garrisons from the grip of the
khalifa. Meanwhile Osman Digna, who had fled from Kufit to Kassala,
wreaked his vengeance upon the unhappy captives at Kassala.

Handub.

Battle of Afafit.

In the neighbourhood of Suakin there were many tribes disaffected to the
khalifa's cause, and in the autumn of 1886 Colonel H. Kitchener, who was
at the time governor of the Red Sea littoral, judiciously arranged a
combination of them to overthrow Osman Digna, with the result that his
stronghold at Tamai was captured on the 7th of October, 200 of his men
killed, and 50 prisoners, 17 guns and a vast store of rifles and
ammunition captured. For about a year there was comparative quiet. Then
at the end of 1887 Osman Digna again advanced towards Suakin, but his
force at Taroi was routed by the "Friendlies," and he fell back on
Handub. Kitchener unsuccessfully endeavoured to capture Osman Digna on
the 17th of January 1888, but in the attack was himself severely
wounded, and was shortly after invalided. Later in the year Osman Digna
collected a large force and besieged Suakin. In December the sirdar
arrived with reinforcements from Cairo, and on the 20th sallied out and
attacked the dervishes in their trenches at Gemaiza, clearing the whole
line and inflicting considerable loss on the enemy, who retired towards
Handub, and the country was again fairly quiet for a time. During 1889
and 1890 Tokar became the centre of dervish authority, while Handub
continued to be occupied for the khalifa. In January 1891 Osman Digna
showed signs of increased activity, and Colonel (afterwards Sir Charles)
Holled Smith, then governor of the Red Sea littoral, attacked Handub
successfully on the 27th and occupied it, then seized Trinkitat and Teb,
and on the 19th of February fought the decisive action of Afafit,
occupied Tokar, and drove Osman Digna back to Temrin with a loss of 700
men, including all his chief amirs. This action proved the final blow to
the dervish power in the neighbourhood of Suakin, for although raiding
continued on a small scale, the tribes were growing tired of the
khalifa's rule and refused to support Osman Digna.

In the spring of 1891 an agreement was made between England and Italy by
which the Italian forces in Eritrea were at liberty, if they were able,
to capture and occupy Kassala, which