GORDON AND THE MAHDI.

81 minutes the Mounted Infantry, pressing up to within 700 yards of the enemy, who was keeping up a sharp rifle fire, repliedwithtellingeffect. Several volleys were fired at the Arabs where they had gathered thickest on the crest ofthe hill,and a fewof them wereseen to drop. Until three o'clock a lively skirmish was carried onbetween the Mounted Infantry and the rebels, the latter soonshowingverylittle of their swarthy forms,but firing frombehind therocks. The object of the reconnaissance havingbeen secured, General Stewart directed the withdrawalof the troops. As theMountedInfantry fellback at aslowpace,the Arabs jeeredat them;but,all thesame, they seemedchary citherof showing themselvesin force, or pushingthe troops as they retired, and thoughhaving avery strongposition,they displayedlittleof their former eagerness forbattle. General Stewartand his troops returned to the first signal station,and were there metby GeneralBuller,who hadadvanced with the GordonHighlanders and Irish Fusiliers. The news from the front had also the effect of bringing General Grahamand his staff out; and, in the afternoon, orders were issued directingthe whole force, excepting the York and Lancaster regiment, and sick or invalid men, to move forwardtogether withallnecessarysupplies,andjoinGeneral Buller.

reconnoitredall roundin their usual intelligent fashion. As the troops advanced, every distantknoll was crowned in turn by cavalry scouts suddenly showing on the skyline. At a fewminutes after seventheybecameengaged with the enemy. TheMounted Infantn* at oncepushed forward, and soon,bydint of well-directedvolleys at long range, forced the rebels back. At length the Arabs haltedon a line of rocky heights, withprecipitousmountains on either flank. The small guns were at once advanced, and brought to bear upon the position, and two rounds were fired. The shells flew too high to do any damage, but were quite sufficient for the enemy, who promptly disappeared. From this time forwardthe Arabs fired onlydistant shots fromneighbouringheights, whichdidno harm.

The troops had now gained the village of Tamanieb, which showed evident traces of recent occupation by Osman Digna's force. There were numerous signs that men and cattlehadretreatedto the mountains, where it was impossible to follow them, and as nothing further couldbedone,GeneralGrahamorderedthe hutstobefired. The troopers set to work with a will,andina quarter of anhour some three hundred huts were sendingup long forksof flameandvolumesof smoketoshowtheArabsthat English soldiershad actuallyput their feetin the village of Tamanieb. It was nowoneo'clock, andthe pursuit of Osman's force or the capture of that rebel chief being regarded as equally impracticable, the General commanding directed the troops to return to Suakim. A start was soon made, and in a long sinuous line of cavalry,infantry, and baggageanimals, the forces moved throughand out of the valley and back towards the sea. The campaign was at anend.

At six o'clock— a few minutes after sunrise,on the following day, the marchof the entire forcebegan towards the enemy's position,General Buller's brigade leading. The troops, now that they believed OsmanDigna to be close at hand, were impatient to settlehim and to finish thecampaign. The columnmarched up the valleyalong thebed of a dry andwinding watercourse,thus enabling (.he guns to avoidthe broken stonyground. The cavalry