ADVANCE TO KERRERI. 129 their main. force under the Khalifa nearer Omdurman. Word was sent back to the Sirdar that the track was clear of the enemy, and so the skirmish before getting into camp, which all the infantry expected with some degree of confidence and elation, did not happen.

By 10 a.m. the army had wheeled into the lines assigned it in the southward portion of the scattered village of Kerreri. Once more both wings rested upon the Nile, Gatacre’s division in front (south), Macdonald’s brigade at the north, with Collinson’s brigade within and in reserve. The army encamped in an irregular triangular enclosure, on one side being the river, our flanks and face being protected by the gunboats. Our zereba outline was something like a broken-backed pyramid.

Whilst the infantry were settling down in camp at Kerreri the cavalry were pushing in the enemy’s outposts. The British division cut and built around their front a good stout thorny zereba. Lyttelton’s brigade and three batteries were placed nearest the river. Upon their right was Wauchope’s brigade, next to it was Maxwell's and Lewis's brigades, and then to the right, Macdonald's crack command. Collinson’s brigade was held in reserve within the zereba; Colonels Maxwell, Lewis and Macdonald had their front protected by a double line of ordinary shelter-trenches dug in the loose sand and gravel. The British Tommies had no trench. Going forward a mile or so to rejoin the cavalry I climbed the rugged granitic slopes of Surgham Hill. Like most of the “jebels,” or mounts, in this region, compared with the spacious I