WARS OF THE NINETIES. 98 the front of the attack and the zereba had diminished to something less than twohundred of the Camerons, who now formed in a long line to lead theBritish attack. The Sirdar and his staff took their station on a gravelly knoll about nine hundred yards from the enemy, where they would have a good view of the whole. Then the artillery ceased firing, and a sudden hush fell upon the field.

something less than twohundred yards there was a last halt, and a perfect storm of fire was poured into the Dervishes. The Maxims and the guns,which hadbeenleftbehind by the advance, galloped up and came into action at point-blank range. Through the tornado of fire the Mahdist riflemen answered It was only for a moment, fornow the bugles rang out sharp and clear,sounding the advance, and as the three brigades strode forward a great burst of sound heralded their march. Fromthe left came the stirring back as best they could, and then the whistles of the officers sounded shrill,callingfor the fire to cease,and pipeandbugle rang out the charge.

In front of the kilted Camerons.with theUnion bugle-notes of the English regiments and the wild battle-music of the Highland pipes. The bands of the Khedive's regiments joined in, and a cheer ran downtheline, the yells of the Soudanese mingling with the British hurras. Steadily 'the line came on, as evenly dressed as if it wasnot a battlebut some grand review.Bang,bang, went a couple of brass cannon from the front of the zereba, but the illaimedshells flewhighand buried themselves harmlesslyinthe desert. These were the only cannonshots the Dervishes fired throughout the day. But asif the cannonhad jiven the signal, their rifles opened from trench and zereba hedge, at first a Jack flying close beside him, Gatacre ran on, sword in hand, the hedge of bayonets and claymores coming on after himin an unbroken line. In the centre Hunter was cheering on the black battalions, riding recklessly into the Dervish fire, with his sword still sheathed, but wavinghis helmetin his right hand. MacDonald and Maxwell rode to right and left of him,all three escaping as if by a miraclethe highflying bullets from the trench in front. It was a racebetween blackand white as to who should be first amongtheenemy, and to their honour, be it said, the black soldiers won the race, though by the shortest of lengths.

COLONEL MURRAY, C.B. (WOUNDED IN THE ATTACK). (Photo:Marshall Wane, Edinburgh.)

The nth Soudanese, led by Jackson, simply threw themselves into and over the bristling hedgeof thorns,trampling it downandbounding with levelledbayonets on the spearmen behind.

pattering, scattered fire, and then a rising roar of musketry. For the most part the bullets went high, sending up showers of dust from the baredesert far inrear of the advancingline. But a few found a billet. Some of Lewis'smen were hit waiting in reserve. Some of the Soudanese dropped and wereborne to the rear by the ready stretcher-parties. One of the Lincolns rolled over dead, the first of the British brigade to fall.

But it was only a moment before the. Camerons were in, further left. Gatacre had been first at the zereba. Heedless of the shots fired at him at closest range, he seized a huge branch and began to pull it away. Right and left of him other strong hands were busy with the same work, their comrades firing Ik and over them, to keep the Dervish defenders at bay. As the zereba came to pieces a spearman rifleman levelled his Remington close up to the General's head. Without letting go his hold of the bushes or ceasing in his work, And now the linehalted and sent a shower of well-aimed bullets into the front line of the Dervish works. Then on again with the same steady march. So, halting a moment to fire, then moving forward, the.three brigades closed rapidly on the enemy. When the spacebetween