252 Seven Years in the Soudan.

bombarded us the whole da3 Although the balls did not do much damage they made a great impression on my Besingers, who were not used to such thunderbolts.

But what embarrassed me most was that five thousand natives had taken refuge in our seriba to escape being led into slavery. These poor devils were hit the oftenest, and at ever} shot they had to deplore some comrade wounded or killed.

At night the enemy retired, and a certain Mula, whom I had sent to Makraka, was able to come into camp with about four hundred reinforcements. Happily, deserters reached me every day from the enemy's camp, and on the 4th January my force numbered three thousand two hundred men.

January •ilk. — The bombardment continued till six }).m.

Januarij lOtJi. — One of the Sangiaks Avho had submitted to Gordon Pasha in Darfour, came to re-enter the service, bringing with him four hundred soldiers.

January 11th. — I received another reinforcement of about three hundred and fifty Besingers from Mam-Niam.

Januarj/ 12th. — Our post was again bombarded. The night of the same day a council was held in the enemy's camp. Sangiak Muss a Wad El-Hag arrived with his people from Darfour to join Suleiman.

The resolve taken by the enemy's council was to possess themselves of our water and doora, and reduce us by famine. A young man, who had deserted the same night, brought us the information.

Profiting by the high grass, I sent one thousand eight hundred men, most of them armed with Remingtons, to hide along the route by which the troops must pass.

On the morning of the 13th, Suleiman's troops arrived in close columns. I gave orders to let them come within two hundred paces and then fire. The}' advanced as if ffoinof to a festiAal. When thev