220 THE DOWNFALL OF THE DERVISHES little fleet in the old days. of thirteen years ago! The Borden had been despatched northwards by Gordon, but, like the Addas, had been wrecked. She struck on a rock in the Shabluka Cataract, on 3oth January 1885, and foundered, but was subsequently raised by the Dervishes. When our gunners came within sight of the vessel, voices were raised to save the old boat for Gordon’s sake.

‘Don’t let us fire on the poor old Bordein!” But there is little room for sentiment or loving-kindness amid the exigencies of warfare, and under our fire the Bordein was headed for the shore, and sank as she reached it.

A still worse fate overtook the Jsmazlia.

In some way or other she fouled one of the mines laid down by the Khialifa’s engineers in midstream; the mine exploded, and the Ismartia, literally hoist by its own petard, was blown out of the water. Two other mines had also been laid in the channel, near the right bank opposite Omdurman. The ropes connecting these with the shore were afterwards found inside the ruined forts, but all our attempts to explode them were futile. The Dervish steamer which was subsequently