I40 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

three steamers; these fired first ball, then shell, to knock down walls, and they succeeded. Mahomet Ali Pasha, commanding ships, ran ashore and landed troops, while shrapnel was covered to command their advance. The black soldiers then stormed the fort, while the Bashi-Bazouks took the outer circle. Many Arabs were killed, and all the dhoora captured and ammunition. After the anniversary of the birth of Mahommed, Wad Sheik El Obeid came opposite Khartum to the other side of Bahr-el-Azrek, and encamped on this isle. Gordon Pasha sent for the troops under Hassein Abraham and Mahomet Abru Said, who had been made pashas by Gordon Pasha. Directly we landed we formed a fourdeep square. Even so we marched boldly from shore. One gun is at an angle of the square. They charged us furiously; but, ha! how they scampered. Shattered was that great band of rebels.

But now what I have to relate fills my heart with grief. The traitor Abraham takes off his tarbash, puts it in his breast, from which he takes a dervish's cap, putting it on his head. Next to this what does he do? He gallops up to the bugler, and tells him to sound the ' kus-rah ' ('retreat;' this in military Turkish signifies defeat). The brave boy refused, and said, ' Pasha, we are not defeated; and I will not sound as you order.' Then he cleaves the brave boy's head with his scimitar, and smites others who would not turn. Now when our enemies see these things come to pass they gain heart, return, and attack us again. We become disorganized — why not? We fly back to the outworks and huts we had left, close to the cemetery. But we did not let the traitorous pasha escape. We circle round his horse and compel him to retire with us; much does he struggle, beg, and protest; he had endeavoured to escape; but escape for him was not. We brought him back bound hand and foot."

" Now all these things," continued my informant, "and how the traitorous pasha had been the cause of our disgrace, Gordon Pasha had spied from the top of his house. He was much grieved; and when the wicked pashas, who were both guilty, were brought bound, as I said, hand and foot before him, he spake never a word except ' Away with them!' He was reading Holy Writ at the time.