GORDON AND THE MAHDI. 77 from spears thrown at them. Another man of the same company,Private GeorgeDrumniond,who came out alive with three wounds, was, whilst bayonetting an Arab,cut over the head by a horseman armedwith a huge crosshiltedsword. Drummond's helmet and the swervin"*of the horse saved him, and though partiallystunned,"he instantly rallied,and drove his bayonet through the-body of his assailant, who wasafterwards identified as Sheikh Mohammed, a cousin of Osman Digna. Whilst Drumniond was tugging at hisbayonet to withdrawit,another Arab, the fallen sheikh's wakil, or steward, rushed at him spear in hand, but was shot down by the Highlander's chum, Kelly. Kelly fell himself the next minute,and out of the twentymen who went up to the edge of the ravine, only three came back alive. The breaking up of the square by the recoil of the York andLancaster regimentthrew boththe Marinesand the Black Watch into confusion, and the square no longer existed. The enemy pressed upon the front as well as on the right flank, dashing in upon what was now a confused mass of troops, spearingmany and themselves falling victims to bayonetand bullet wounds. In spite of the effortsof the officers the whole body of troops nowbegantoretreat. TheNavalBrigade,hemmedin,had no time to use their guns,and,as the mass fellback, they werecompelledtoleavethesebehind them. Themenwho stuck to the guns to the last and tried to drag them off, suffered exceptionally, threeofficers— Montressor,Almack, aud Houston-Stewart— beingamong the killed. As the wild ruck of reckless savage Arabsdashed onwards, the Highlanders and York and Lancaster men continued pressing on the rear,and for a few moments the scene suggested a strange resemblance to that at El Teb,but there was this difference. The Highlanders and their comrades were retreating like lions at bay. Several hundreds of themand the Marines fought back to back, firingand retiring in excellent order, and to their great coolness and steadiness is largelydue the final success of the day. Though retreating, the men literallymowed down their assailants. In the smoke and dust of the battle, amid the bright gleam of their myriad spearheads,the semi-nude,brown-skinned,black, shaggy-haired warriors werefallingdown in scores.

all the impetuous Arabs who had surged down, only a few turned face to the rear, nearly the whole being swept awayby the deadly fire. On reaching the point where the enemyhad charged down upon the leading brigade, the guns which had been abandoned when Davis's square was broken were recovered within a quarter of an hour from the time when they were lost. After the Gatlings had been recaptured the sailorshad several chances of turning their fire on the Arabs, and proceeded to doso with telling effect.

Almost at this moment a fresh body of the enemywere seen issuing from a broad, deep,rocky ravine, in which theyhad beenlying concealed,,this time in even denser numbers thanbefore. The troops met the newonslaught with the utmost steadiness. It was a repetitionof the battle of El Teb, but the charges sustained were made by largerbodiesof men, and wereeven fiercer and more determined than upon that occasion. Of the brave natives who swarmed downupon the British square, few went back;it was for the most part,death or victory with them. The masses melted away under the most terriblefire, leavinga trailof deadbodiesbehind. Thus the breechloadersprevailedover valour as brilliant and heroic as ever was witnessed. The thorough defeat of the Arabs in this part of the battle field was completed by the cavalry, who, sweeping round the left flank,dismounted, and poured volleyafter volleyintothe retreating enemy. The latter,in fact, had attempted to rally and take the troopsin flank, but the suddenmovement by the cavalrydefeatedtheirobject. This check effected, the square advanced to the edge of the plateau,below which extendedabroadravine. Here numbers of tribesmen were to be seen retreatingrapidly, some up the opposite side, others alongits depths. A hot shell and rifle fire scattered them still more, but even then there was no sign of panic in the retreat of these gallant savages,for theyhaltedand fired from time to time with perfect coolness. The battle was virtually over, yet it was dangerous to move about the battlefield, owing to the wounded natives lying thickly among the bushes. They positively refused to accept quarter, and such as were able continuedloading and firing at any one who came near them, or thrust with their spears at all who passed by. In the bush, too, were many unwounded men, who, when they sawan opportunity, leapt to their feet and attacked any soldierswhocamesufficiently close. The infantry haltedafterthe ravine was cleared, andthe cavalry were ordered to clear the bushes. During the fight they had been echelonedonthe left flank,and were about to charge upon the enemy who were assaulting Davis's retreatingbrigade whenthe rally of the latter on reaching Buller's square rendered cavalry action unnecessary.

Allthis time Buller's Brigade,500 yards on the right rear, were movingforwardinperfect order,andadvancing to the assistance of Davis's broken square, with the steadiness of troops on a parade ground. In front of them were the guns of the Marine artillery, and these opened fire upon the Arabs who wereassailingDavis,but without checking them. Buller's brigade had been assaultedin the same wildfurious manner as Davis's, but had replied with a tremendous fire which killed every living being within reach of it. In other words, the enemynever evengot near this brigade. Not onlydid the rank and file calmly and strenuously hold their ground, but the guns inside played havoc among the enemy's ranks, speedily throwing them into hopeless confusion. Altogether,"General Redvers Buller handled his brigade splendidly, and his artillery made capital practice, sending she'll after shell bursting among the rebelsgathered on theridges.

Upon gettingback inline with Buller's steadybrigade, andcovered by their fire, Davis's Brigade rallied at once and the men very speedily resumedtheir formation,and, as if determined to retrieve the disorder into which they had been thrown, advanced manfully side by side with Puller's square. So terriblewas the fire which theunited brio-ades poured into the enemy that their advance was at length checked, but there was no retreat. Of At half-past ten General Graham re-formedhis troops preparatory to advancing on the wells of Tamai, which were about three miles from the battle field,and the capture of which was the immediateobject of the expedition. Parties of the enemy werevisible onall points of the horizon, equallyloth, as at El Teb, to quit the spot where they had maintained such a gallant struggle. When afterashortrest thetroops resumedtheiradvauce, the enemy gathered again, and it seemed as if they intended to renew the battle. A halt wasordered, and the guns opened fire on the distant foe. The latter attempted to replywith their rifles, but the distance was too great. The gunners continuing to shell the enemy withneatprecision, the troops soon had the satisfaction of seeing the hostile groups break up and disperse,the greaterpart taking to the hills. Ere longa fewscattered