HISTORY. 15 had poured forth, by attacking it with their swords.

The battle remained for a long time undecided.

The Defturdar placed himself at the head of his cavalry, and, although ill, would not leave the field.

Several attacks were valiantly repulsed. The Bedouins put the Turks to the blush by their bravery ; where the battle raged hottest, these children of the desert were to be seen discomfiting the enemy most. Victory inclined sometimes to the side of the Turks, sometimes to the side of the men of Kordofan, but it yet remained doubtful. The Turks were sometimes sorely pushed ; a Sheikh, however, of the Bedouins, from the race of Gemeat, was fortunate enough to lay ISIoosalem, the leader of the Kordofanese, prostrate with a pistol shot ; his death decided the battle. The army of Kordofan, deprived of its leader, turned and took to flight ; they were pursued by the Turkish cavalry, and many of them killed on this route. Amongst the dead on the field of battle three women were even found, who had taken an active part in the fight for their freedom. On the second day after this battle, the Defturdar entered Lobeid with his victorious army.

The town was plundered, and nearly wholly sacked ; the Defturdar found immeasurable treasure in this place, which this avaricious tyrant immediately appropriated to himself. The country surrendered without further resistance, excepting the mountain of " Dyre," situated at twenty hours' march from Lobeid, which has retained its freedom to the present day.

The Turkish army suffered deprivations of all kinds;