THE EMIRS LETTER. 45 district of Metammeh, and Jalin and Awadiyeh Arabs from the surrounding country, in all 9000 to 11,000 men. The enemy's sharpshooters were black soldiers of Hicks's army, and of the garrisons of Obeid and Bara, which had surrendered to the Mahdi.

There were also a few hunters from Kordofan. The charge on the square had been made by Duguaim, Kenana, and Hamra Arabs from Kordofan, and this portion of the force, with their sheikhs and emirs, had been almost destroyed. The men of Jalin and Metammeh were in reserve, and the cavalry scouts were the Awadiyeh. Omdurman had fallen about a fortnight before, and thus a large number of the Mahdi's troops were set free, though the force which had been defeated at Abu-Klea was but the advanced guard of a large army which it was expected had already reached Metammeh.

Some of the papers found on the field were important and interesting. There was a copy of a set of prayers supposed to be composed by the Mahdi. These were being read by the sheikh Musa when he broke into the square. There were letters from the Mahdi to chiefs and governors (among them one to the governor of Shendy), exhorting them to fight the infidels; among them was a letter from the Emir of Berber, Muhammed El Kheir, to one Sheikh Muhammed Zein saying: " It behoves you to get ready with energy and activity, and to carry on the holy war against the enemies of the faith, and to fight against the heathen and the believers in more than one God. You must be patient and steadfast and make raids. As our beloved, the Emir Sad Salim, has asked you for reinforcements and sought your aid for victory, therefore give him reinforcements and help him to victory. Go to him with all the men of your emirate. God Almighty has said, ' If they (the believers) seek your aid to ensure the victory of the faith, it is your duty to aid them;' and the Prophet, on whom be peace and blessings, has said, ' The believers are like a building, one part strengthens the other.' Therefore, on receipt of this letter, proceed with all your followers to the Emir Sad Salim, and do not wait for your ammunition, for you are not to fight with the enemies of God with ammunition, but with spears and swords.