GORDON AND THE MAHDI. 75 SIGNALLING THE POSITION OF THE ENEMY AROUND SUAKIM.

circled and then ascendedthe outlying low hills. Before them wasspread out the valleyof Tamai;on the further sideofthis, sometwo milesoff,werelow ranges of similar hillsto those already occupied, extending to the foot of the chain of the Soudan mountains. On these ranges the enemy could be plainly discerned clustering thickly on the more prominent points,some on foot, and others on camels and on horseback. The cavalry scouts were pushed forwardto unmask the enemy's position, and as they advancedthe Arabs showed in large numbers and firedseveralshots. Meanwhile the infantry square had arrivedat the foot of the hill where the outlook had been established,and facingsouth,marched to a sandy tract dottedwith a few bushes, but clear of the rocks and stones abounding at the base of the hilly range. The cavalry scouts having ascertained the enemy's position, fellback, and General Graham issued orders for theinfantry to bivouac wherethey stood, and for bushes to be cut and a zereba made, advantage being taken of the semi-circularcrest ofthe sandy ridge.

The cavalry weresent back to Baker's zereba to water their horses, and to remain there all night, and shortly after sunset the infantry were formed into one large square,the intervals being carefully closed. Fires were lightedandcoffee madefortheeveningmeal. Someparties of the enemy wereobserved about a thousand yards off, and by the General's orders half a dozen shots were fired at them fromthe nine-pounders,the shells bursting over their heads with apparently some execution, and causing them to disperserapidly. As darkness cameon, the fires of the enemy's camp,about a mileand ahalf off, were plainly visible. Shortly after eight o'clock Commander Rolfe, R.N., having obtained permission, stole out to reconnoitre, a most daring action, as no onecould say where the enemymight be lurkingin the bush. He made his way to the spot where one of the shells had burst, and found three Arabs lying dead, a proof of the accuracy of the gunner's aim. Creeping amongst the bushes to the top of the ridge he could make out the enemy's watch-fires with pickets sleeping beside them. He returnedat nine o'clock to camp, and as it appeared from his report that the enemy were not meditating an attack, the men were ordered to lie down and get whatsleep they could, the fires beingextinguished.

At a quai*ter to one in the morning, however,several partiesof Arabs whohad approachedto withina thousand yards of the camp suddenly opened a sharp rifle fire on the square. The shots weremostly too high, but one or two animals werehit. The troops at once stood to arms and thenlaiddown,Martini inhand,ready to receive the Arabs. It was bright moonlight, find as objects were visible for a considerable distance, a sudden rash could have been effectually checked. Orders had been given for the men to liequiet and not to fire a shot tillthe foe came close,but at the first alarm an Egyptian camel driver jumped over the prickly mimosa bushespiled outside the square,and being taken for an enemy as he bolted past the lines, was shot at, and fell pierced with half-a-dozenbullets. Three men also received bayonet wounds fromtheir comrades by accident whenrushing to