r Sheik was sent off up the west bank, to harass the Dervishes who
had already crossed. On the 24th two gunboats arrived, with two hundred
more men of the 10th Soudanese, and a small detachment of the 9th.

On the following day the little force started, at five in the
afternoon; and, at eleven at night, halted at a little village. At
three in the morning they again advanced, and at eight o'clock came in
contact with the Dervish outposts. Colonel Lewis had already learned
that, instead of half the Dervish force having crossed, only one
division had done so, and that he had by far the greater part of
Fadil's army opposed to him.

It was a serious matter to attack some four or five thousand men, with
so small a force at his disposal; for he had but half the 10th
Soudanese, a handful of the 9th, and two Maxim guns. As to the Darfur
irregulars, no great reliance could be placed upon them.

As the force issued from the wood through which they had been marching,
they saw the river in front of them. In its midst rose a large island,
a mile and a quarter long, and more than three-quarters of a mile wide.
There were clumps of sand hills upon it. They had learned that the
intervening stream was rapid, but not deep; while that on the other
side of the island was very deep, with a precipitous bank.

It was upon this island that Fadil's force was established. The
position was a strong one--the sand hills rose from an almost flat
plain, a thousand yards away; and this would have to be crossed by the
assailants, without any shelter whatever. The Dervishes were bound to
fight their hardest, as there was no possibility of escape, if
defeated.

At nine o'clock the Soudanese and irregulars lined the bank and opened
fire, while the two Maxims came into action. The Dervishes replied
briskly, and it was soon evident that, at so long a range, they could
not be driven from their position. Several fords were found, and the
irregulars, supported by a company of the 10th, crossed the river, and
took up a position two hundred yards in advance, to cover the passage
of the rest. These crossed with some difficulty, for the water was
three and a half feet deep, and the current very strong; and they were,
moreover, exposed to the fire of Fadil's riflemen, from the high cliff
on the opposite bank.

Colonel Lewis, determined to turn the left flank of the Dervishes, kept
along the river's edge until he reached the required position; then
wheeled the