sks, and
so have you. Each of us has done his duty, and we can say, for the rest
of our lives, that we have borne our share in the great battle that has
smashed up the power of the Khalifa, and the rule of the Dervishes."

Chapter 15: Khartoum.

There was no pause or rest for the troops who had been fighting, for so
many hours, in the heat of the African sun. It was all important to
occupy Omdurman before the remnants of the Khalifa's army reached it;
and as it was known that the Khalifa himself had returned there, it was
hoped that he might be captured.

It was ten o'clock when Macdonald's brigade fired their last shot. In
half an hour, the troops went forward again. The field presented a
terrible appearance, being thickly dotted with dead, from the Surgham
Hill across the plain; and round, by the Kerreri Hills, to the spot
where Macdonald's brigade had made their stand. There were
comparatively few wounded; for, wiry and hardy as they were, the
wounded Dervishes, unless mortally hit, were for the most part able to
crawl or walk away; which they had done unmolested, for on each
occasion after the bugle sounded cease firing, not a shot was fired at
them. But of dead there were fully ten thousand, scattered more or less
thickly over the plain.

From the position in which they were placed, the Egyptian troops, as
they marched south, passed the spot where the Khalifa's flag was still
flying, as it had been left after its last defenders had fallen.
Slatin, who was with the army, rode over the plain at the Sirdar's
request, to ascertain if any of the Dervish leaders were among the
fallen. He recognized many, but the Khalifa, his son Ed Din, and Osman
Digna were not among them. The last-named had ever been chary of
exposing himself, and had probably, as was his custom, viewed the
battle from a safe distance. But round the flag were the Khalifa's
brother, Yacoub, and ten or twelve of the leading emirs.

On our side, the loss had been comparatively light. Our total number of
casualties, including the wounded, was five hundred and twenty-four;
towards which Macdonald's brigade contributed one hundred and
twenty-eight. Marching steadily on, the force halted in the outlying
suburb of Omdurman, at midday, to obtain much needed food and water. As
soon as the cavalry had watered their horses, they were sent round to
the south of the town to cut off fugitives, and some of the gunboats
moved up to their support.

Deputati