250 KHARTOUM CAMPAIGN.

were well enough to man the gunboats, to be in short amateur marines. At that date there were 327 sick upon the island. Most of them were eager to get to the front, but the doctors would not certify that any of them were able to bear the fatigue of marching. . There was therefore yreat rejoicing among the more convalescent, for they had begun to despair of seeing the fight.

The hospital state showed that there were then at Royan 46 men of the. Warwicks, 69 of the Lincolns, 62 of the Seaforths, 36 of the Camerons, 19 of the Grenadier Guards, 42 of the Northumberland Fusiliers, 42 of the Lancashire Fusiliers, and 21 of the Rifles. From 25 to 40 men were marched on board each of the gunboats the same day. Captain Ferguson of the Northumberland Fusiliers became marine officer on board the ‘ Sultan,” Lieutenant Allardice went to the ‘“ Sheik,” Lieutenant Seymour of the Grenadier Guards to the ‘“ Melik,” Captain Ritchie to the “ Nazir,” Lieutenant Arbuthnot to the “El Hafir,’ and Lieutenant Jackson and other officers respectively to the ‘“ Tamai,” ‘“ Fatah,” ‘ Metemmeh,” etc.

On the 31st of August the “ Melik” kept abreast of the cavalry acting as a screen. At noon of the same day the ‘ Sultan” and the “ Melik” and ‘Nazir’ were sent to shell the dervish tents and tukals seen to the east of Kerreri village. The enemy were found in some force, about 3500 strong. Eight or ten shrapnel were fired into their zerebaed camp.

Right in the middle of the tents the first shell burst. The dervishes struck their camp instantly,