THE ATTACK ON METAMMEH ABANDONED. 77 perhaps, some superstitious occasion for closing around them and capturing or putting them to death.

Khashm-el-Mus reported that as they came down the river they had seen tiie force under Faki Mustafa coming from Khartum, and thus that it would be at Gubat either that evening or on the following day.

What was to be done.'' The question was one not easily answered even after a serious conference, in which Sir Herbert Stewart, though too badly wounded to take the slightest personal part, was able to add his advice and opinion. It was too evident that if a. large force was really coming down it would be next to impossible to continue firing into the pliable mud walls of Metammeh ammunition which would be wanted for a fight with the approaching enemy, and there were scarcely sufficient men in the camp to protect the hundred wounded, though these and the detachment at the redoubt three miles away, were the only troops not now in action. To have attempted to carry Metammeh would have been a great risk, for it was too large for our men to have held it: the mud houses must have been destroyed, and during the time that this was being done the enemy from without miorht have overwhelmed us in detail. After further consultation with Boscawen it was reluctantly decided to retire on the camp without attacking the town; and the movement was admirably executed, though before it commenced, one good man and true, Poe, the officer of marines,—was terribly wounded, and was obliged to undergo amputation almost at the hip. He wore a red coat, and was standing up alone on open ground, talking to his men, who were lying down, and so it was supposed that his conspicuous figure drew the fire of the enemy.

The enemy would not come out to fight, though during the withdrawal of the column every opportunity was given for their doing so; but it was to be feared that the retirement of our force had a bad effect, as it was evident that an attack on the town had been intended and withdrawal )yas an acknowledgment of weakness.

Sir Charles Wilson thought it would have been possible to take Metammeh if our force had gone at it at once instead of marching