their swords and revolvers that they actually held the defile and beat back the Dervish horse, who retired on their infantry, leaving a dozen dead upon the ground.  Two of the Egyptian squadrons continued to retreat until clear of the defile, a distance of 700 yards; but the third and rearmost was compelled by the British officers to face about, and, galloping with this force down the ravine, Major Burn-Murdoch drove the Arabs pell-mell out of it.  The other two squadrons had now returned, and the whole force dismounted, and, taking up a position among the sandhills near the mouth of the defile, opened fire with their carbines.  The repulse of their cavalry seemed to have disheartened the Dervishes, for they made no attempt to attack the dismounted troopers, and contented themselves with maintaining a desultory fire, which was so ill-aimed that but little loss was caused.  The heat of the weather was terrific, and both men and horses suffered acutely from thirst.  The squadron which had escorted the Sirdar had performed a long march before the reconnaissance and was exhausted.  The cavalry, however, held their position among the sandhills and easily defeated a feeble attempt to turn their right.  At a quarter past twelve the Dervishes began to retire slowly and deliberately, and by one o’clock, when the XIth Soudanese arrived, eager and agog, the last Arab had disappeared.  The force then returned to camp, bearing many spears and leading six captured horses as trophies of victory.  The intensity of the heat may be gauged by the fact that one of the Soudanese soldiers—­that is to say, an African negro—­ died of sunstroke.  Such was the affair of the 1st of May, and it is pleasing to relate that in this fierce fight the loss was not severe.  One British officer, Captain Fitton, was slightly wounded.  One native soldier was killed; one was mortally and eight severely wounded.

During May the preparations for the advance on the Dervish position at Firket continued, and towards the end of the month it became evident that they were nearly complete.  The steady accumulation of stores at Akasha had turned that post into a convenient base from which the force might operate for a month without drawing supplies of any kind from the north.  The railway, which had progressed at the rate of about half a mile a day, had reached and was working to Ambigole Wells, where a four-gun fort and entrenchment had been built.  The distance over which convoys must plod was reduced by half, and the business of supply was doubly accelerated.  By degrees the battalions and squadrons began to move forward towards Akasha.  Sarras, deprived of its short-lived glory, became again the solitary fort on a crag.  Wady Halfa was also deserted, and, except for the British battalion in garrison, could scarcely boast a soldier.  Both the Egyptian battalions from Suakin had arrived on the Nile.  The Xth Soudanese were on their way.  The country beyond Akasha had been thoroughly reconnoitred and mapped to within three miles of the Dervish position.  Everything was ready.