304 KHARTOUM CAMPAIGN.

that he had run away. On Saturday the 17th September, the gunboat “ Abu Klea” caught up with and joined the flotilla.

During the same night, dervish deserters, blacks, and Arabs came in. They stated that a short way further up there was a camp of the enemy. On Sunday:morning, 18th September, when near Kaka, some 65 miles north of Fashoda, the dervish steamer ‘‘Safieh” was sighted, lying at the east bank close by the enemy’s camp. The “ Sultan” forged ahead and began shelling the enemy with all her guns, using the Maxims as well. With great alacrity the dervishes on shore replied, if indeed they did not fire first. A few shots also came from the ‘“ Safieh.” With their rifled guns from behind screens of bushes the enemy bravely stood up, making excellent practice at the gunboats. The ‘“ Sultan” had several very narrow escapes, shells passing close over her bows and stern. When the other gunboats got up, what with cannon, quick-firing guns, and Maxims brought to bear upon the dervish camp, it was speedily wrecked and torn. The enemy bolted into the bush, leaving over 200 dead and wounded behind, including several Baggara and the chief Emir. A few shells from the “Sultan” had hulled and shattered the “ Safieh,” so the victory was complete. Detachments were landed from the gunboats and the dervishes driven still further afield. Their camp was looted and burned, and the “ Safieh ” and several nuggars temporarily repaired and sent down to Omdurman. It was found that the patch > 99 put upon the “Safieh’s” boiler by chief-engineer