It was still night.  The full moon, shining with tropical brilliancy in a cloudless sky, vaguely revealed the rolling plains of sand and the huge moving mass of the army.  As long as it was dark the battalions were closely formed in quarter columns.  But presently the warmer, yellower light of dawn began to grow across the river and through the palms, and gradually, as the sun rose and it became daylight, the dense formation of the army was extended to an array more than two miles long.  On the left, nearest the river, marched Lewis’s brigade—­three battalions in line and the fourth in column as a reserve.  Next in order Maxwell’s three battalions prolonged the line.  The artillery were in the centre, supported by the North Staffordshire Regiment.  The gunners of the Maxim battery had donned their tunics, so that the lines and columns of yellow and brown were relieved by a vivid flash of British red.  MacDonald’s brigade was on the right.  David’s brigade followed in rear of the centre as a reserve.  The cavalry, the Camel Corps, and the Horse Artillery watched the right flank; and on the left the gunboats steamed along the river.

For two hours the army were the only living things visible on the smooth sand, but at seven o’clock a large body of Dervish horse appeared on the right flank.  The further advance of half a mile discovered the Arab forces.  Their numbers were less than those of the Egyptians, but their white uniforms, conspicuous on the sand, and the rows of flags of many colours lent an imposing appearance to their array.  Their determined aspect, no less than the reputation of Bishara, encouraged the belief that they were about to charge.

The disparity of the forces was, however, too great; and as the Egyptian army steadily advanced, the Dervishes slowly retired.  Their retreat was cleverly covered by the Baggara horse, who, by continually threatening the desert flank, delayed the progress of the troops.  Bishara did not attempt to re-enter the town, on which the gunboats were now concentrating their fire, but continued to retire in excellent order towards the south and Debba.

The Egyptian infantry halted in Dongola, which when they arrived they found already in the hands of detachments from the flotilla.  The red flag with the Crescent and star waved once again from the roof of the Mudiria.  The garrison of 400 black Jehadia had capitulated, and were already fraternising with their Soudanese captors, whose comrades in arms they were soon to be.  While the infantry occupied the town the cavalry and Camel Corps were despatched in pursuit.  The Baggara horse, however, maintained a firm attitude, and attempted several charges to cover the retreat of their infantry.  In one of these an actual collision occurred, and Captain Adams’s squadron of Egyptian cavalry inflicted a loss of six killed on the enemy at a cost to themselves of eight men wounded.  The cavalry and Camel corps had about twenty casualties