BLACK SHEEP. 71 some unascertained reason came to be called Gubat. It was soon placed in a condition of defence, and ready to receive the wounded, who were guarded by a hundred men of the heavies under Lord Arthur Somerset, while a detachment of the Sussex under Major Sunderland set out to keep a watch on Metammeh and check any probable advance of the enemy. The remainder of the force prepared to march to the seriba and bring back their comrades, who had been attacked, but not at very close quarters, though crowds of Arabs were still to be seen in various directions, and large numbers of them again assembled on the gravel hill near Metammeh as our men were moving off. But they had not much relish for renewing the fight of the day before, for our men, though they were half-starving and much of their clothing was in a very dilapidated condition, were so fresh after their rest and the plentiful supply of water, that they were evidently ready for battle, and therefore the enemy began to disperse again, their movements being expedited by some volleys from long range, which knocked several of them over, and left the way to the seriba uninterrupted. The garrison in charge there received them with hearty British cheering and many congratulations. Orders were at once given for moving down to the river.

Sir Herbert Stewart was not worse, and hopes were entertained of his recovery; but he had to be moved with care, and there were a large number of badly wounded men, so many that the size of the fort had been increased, and saddles, ammunition and commissariat boxes, and all kinds of materials had been used to form its walls, the number of dead and wounded horses and the still greater number of dead and dying camels making a peculiarly hideous feature of the strange and harrowing scene within that inclosure. For the Arab sharpshooters had kept up their fire on the seriba until the defeat of the men who charged the square from the oravel ridge. Sir Charles Wilson records that the men at the seriba then had a quiet night, but that some of them along with the Arab driving boys from Aden began to loot the stores, and worst of all the brandy and champagne, which were medical stores