LONG-RANGE FIRE. 169 >ver the broken ground through the villages, exalining carefully every hut : not a soul was visible :here, all the inhabitants having decamped the previous day into Metemmeh, taking with them their goods and chattels. As we passed through the second village and got in view of Metemmeh, crowds of Arabs were seen running about just outside the town. " Here's a grand chance," thought C the former " musketoon," who was in command of the extended company of Grenadiers, and he forthwith called out twenty of our best marksmen. " Fire five volleys, at 2,000 yards ready," and down they rent, taking careful aim at the masses of niggers, 'he effect of the volleys was extraordinary. At lat enormous distance we saw, with the help of our glasses, some two or three Arabs drop, and all the ;st skedaddle as fast as their legs would carry them ito the town, dropping their household goods as tey went. The moral effect must have been great, for in two minutes, with the help of a few shells from guns, they had all disappeared within the walls.

If we had had sufficient troops, our proper course