THE FINAL ADVANCE 219 Presently, above the occasional musketry fire came the boom of a heavy gun. There was a thrill of excitement in the camp. The gun-boats had arrived opposite Omdurman and had opened fire upon the Dervish river-side forts. These were strongly constructed, but, as in the forts at Metemmeh I and Shabluka, the embrasures were so faultily constructed that the guns could only be brought to bear upon the portion I passed them without receiving any material damage, and I were so able to maintain the bombardment without receiving any fire in return. At the same time they landed the forty-; pounder guns on an island but a short distance from the I town, and thence opened fire with lyddite shells upon it. The j howitzers were trained upon the Mahdi’s tomb and soon great j holes were knocked in the dome.

[ It could be seen from the top of the hill that this caused great excitement in the Dervish lines, and a number of their horsemen rode out against the Lancers and drove in their advance scouts; but on the main body of the regiment moving forward they fell back to their line, and almost immediately a heavy body of infantry moved out, their intention evidently being to surround and cut off the regiment, while at the same time a general advance took place. The Colonel of the Lancers dismounted a portion of his men, and these checked the advance of the enemy until the rest fell back.

The news of the advance was signalled to General Kitchener, and the whole force at once took their position in fighting order. Believing that a general attack on the camp would now be made, the cavalry fell back on either flank, so as to clear the way for the fire of the artillery and infantry. The Dervishes had a good view of our camp from the top of Surgham, but the Khalifa apparently considered that it was too late in the day for a general attack, and drew off his men to their former position, and the rest of the afternoon and evening passed quietly.

As the men ate their meal of tinned meat and biscuit they