nnur and the Atbara fort,
which one battalion was left to guard, the Sirdar took up his post at
Hudi. The position was well chosen. It lay halfway between Mahmud's
camp at Nakheila and the Atbara fort, and left Mahmud only the option
of attacking him; or of making a long detour, through the desert to the
east, in order to reach Berber. The British, on the other hand, could
receive their supplies by camels from the Atbara fort.

The cavalry went out to reconnoitre, and had constant skirmishes with
the enemy's horse; but when day after day passed, and Mahmud did not
come, as the Sirdar had expected, to attack him, it was determined to
take the offensive. General Hunter was ordered to move forward, with
the whole of the cavalry and a Maxim-gun battery, to discover the exact
position of the enemy.

The camp had been well chosen; for, like Abu Hamed, it lay in a
depression, and could not be seen until an enemy came within six
hundred yards of it. Thus the superiority of range of the British
rifles was neutralized, and their guns could not be brought into play
until within reach of the Dervish muskets. The wood was surrounded by a
high zareba, behind which a crowd of Dervishes were assembled. They had
anticipated an attack, and held their fire until the cavalry should
come nearer. This, however, General Hunter had no intention of doing,
and he retired with the information he had gained. His account of the
strength of the position showed the difficulty of taking it by assault.

Next day he again went out with the same force, but this time the
Dervishes were prepared. Their mounted men dashed out from the wood,
and galloped round to cut off the cavalry; while the footmen crowded
out to attack them in front. The cavalry fell back in perfect order,
and one squadron charged forty of the Dervish cavalry, who barred the
line of retreat. These they drove off, but the main body still pressed
forward, and the Maxims opened upon them. The hail of bullets was too
much for the horsemen, and they drew off. Several times they gathered
again for a charge, but on each occasion the Maxims dispersed them. The
unmounted Dervishes were soon left behind, but the horsemen, in spite
of the lesson they had received, followed almost to the camp.

On the afternoon of the 7th of April, the Anglo-Egyptian force marched
out. They started at five in the afternoon, and halted at seven. The
horses were first taken down to water, the infantry by half batta