that a large body of the enemy was encamped about two miles from the wells. The small British force formed a zareba of the mimosa bushes, and slept that night on their arms, the cattle and baggage being in the center, while three small works, giving a flanking fire, afforded a further protection from surprise. The Arabs kept up a desultory fire all night, but as they made no offensive movement, at 9.30 on the following morning, the 17th of January, Sir Herbert Stewart, leaving a small guard at the zareba, marched out to bring them to action, with his force on foot, except the Hussars. As the square wound round the left flank of the enemy's position, they were met with a hot fire from the Arabs, by which many were killed. Notwithstanding the fire of the guns and rifles the Arabs continued to advance with banners waving, and suddenly a body, numbering some thousands, charged up two narrow gullies leading from the valley, and bore down on the Heavy Camel Regiment, who formed the rear half of the left face, and the whole of the rear face, of the square. Colonel Burnaby, who had arrived a few days before from Korti with a convoy of grain, and by seniority was second in command of the column, called upon the Heavies to meet the Arab charge, and, riding out, was killed after a hand-tohand conflict, in which this most gallant soldier displayed his wonted intrepidity and contempt for death. The British loss was nine officers and sixty-five rank and file killed, and nine officers and eighty-five wounded. The Hussars pushed on and occupied the wells of Abu Klea, whither the force, carrying the wounded on stretchers and camel litters, advanced later in the day. The supplies having been brought from the former position, a strong zareba was erected, and a detachment being left to guard the wells and the wounded, at 4 P.M. on the 18th of January the column pushed on for the Nile, though much fatigued from want of rest. Marching all night, with occasional halts, when dawn broke it was found that the Nile was still six miles off, and from the masses of the enemy seen to be pouring out of Metemmeh with the object of barring the way to the river, it was manifest that the hardly-pressed soldiers would have to fight an action before reaching its banks. Sir Her bert Stewart took up a position near Abu Kru, about four miles from the river, and proceeded to form a zareba. The Arabs continued to gather round the column, on which they kept up a very heavy fire, causing many casualties, including the gallant commander, who fell severely wounded by a bullet in the groin. The command now devolved upon Sir Charles Wilson, R. E., head of the Intelligence Department, an officer of great scientific acquirements, but scarcely fitted for high command in a crisis demanding the abilities of an experienced and daring soldier. Having completed his preparations, Sir Charles Wilson left a guard of about 300 men with the guns, in the zareba, under Lord Charles Beresford and Colonel Barrow, and pushed on with about 1,000 men on foot, marching in square, for the Nile, where he intended to intrench himself. It was a desperate course, but the only one likely to prevent the annihilation of the small column. Protected by the accurate fire of the guns from the zareba, the British square pushed on slowly, now swinging to the right and now to the left as the Arabs advanced to the attack, and finally repulsing a determined assault of some 10,000 Arabs, who swept down upon the left face with a determination only less than that displayed at Abu Klea. After this all further opposition ceased, and the column arrived at Gubat, on the banks of the Nile, where the men, having quenched their overpowering thirst, at length found a welcome rest. Early on the following morning, leaving a strong guard, the column returned to the zareba, and brought back with them their comrades, together with the wounded and stores. During the fighting since the 17th, two officers and the correspondents of the "Standard" and "Morning Post," with twenty-two men, had been killed; and nine officers, including the commander, and ninety-two men, were wounded, mostly severely. On the 21st of January, a reconnaissance in force was made toward Metemmeh, but the place was not assaulted, as the attempt would have insured heavy loss. At 7 A. M. on the 24th, Sir Charles Wilson left for Khartoum with two of the four steamers Gordon had sent to Metemmeh, taking with him twenty men of the Sussex Regiment, and 250 of Gordon's Soudanese troops. Near Gebel-seg-es-Taib, a steep eminence overhanging the Nile, a man shouted that Khartoum had fallen two days before, and as these reports were repeated at every bend of the stream, anxiety and alarm soon filled the hearts of all. Sir Charles Wilson was not left long in doubt now. By nine o'clock his steamers had passed the village of Vakeel, which, with its island, were found to be occupied by one of the Mahdi's chief emirs, the Sheikh Mustapha. Running on under a heavy fire, the first glimpse of Khartoum, with its minaret, was obtained through a field-glass below Fighiaiha, at the distance of ten miles, and by eleven o'clock an island was reached, from amid the tall grasses and bushes of which a most pestilent fire was opened. By noon they were abreast of Halfiyeh, where four pieces of cannon opened upon them. The vessels responded with rifles and howitzers at 500 yards' range, while steaming furiously up till they came abreast of Tuti Island, which lies between the White and Blue Niles, and which they hoped to find occupied by what remained of Gordon's troops. Vain expectation! At 250 yards' distance a rifle fire was opened upon them, while two guns shelled them from the city itself. As the southern end of Tuti Island, with its sandy dunes, was reached, a severe fire was opened upon them from four Krupp guns which armed the fort of Omdurman, and which was evidently in possession of the Mahdi. In their thousands the men of the latter swarmed along the banks of the river, and with their Remingtons poured in a furious cross-fire, which, strange to say, proved somewhat innocuous, Sir Charles and his staff could now perceive Gordon's troop-boats drawn up with a fleet of native craft on the left or Khartoum bank of the river; but nothing could be seen of two steamers which Gordon was said to have retained for any emergency. Outside the city the northwest shore of the Bahr-el-Azrek seemed literally alive with rebels, while men clad in the uniform of the Mahdi and waving his flags teemed in the streets and on the forts and flat housetops; thousands of others, among them many frantic dervishes, defiant of the rifle fire, rushed to the river edge, brandishing their swords and spears, and shouting exultingly the story of Gordon's fall; and all the while guns were throwing shot and DD-VOL. II. shell from three points-Khartoum, Halfiyeh, and Omdurman, with showers of rifle-shot, till the water boiled and hissed around the steamers, where, but for the protecting armor plates, all must have perished on board. On seeing Khartoum so completely in the hands of the rebels, Khasm-el-Moos, his officers and men, covered their heads and threw themselves on the decks in despair. The handful of the Royal Sussex fought bravely, and kept up file-firing till their shoulders ached and their rifle-barrels grew hot. As all hope was over now, and no flag was waving on the palace, Sir Charles Wilson ordered the steamers to be put about and descend the river at their utmost speed; and a little after four in the afternoon the expedition was beyond the fire of the enemy. At Gebel Royan, near the Sixth Cataract, information came that, on the night of January 26, Khartoum had fallen through the treachery of Faragh Pasha, a villain who had originally been a slave, but whom Gordon had freed, promoted, and intrusted with a command among his Soudanese troops. He had opened the gates to the followers of the Mahdi; then a dreadful massacre ensued; Gordon was slain, and his followers perished with him. So the British expedition had proved a total failure. Gordon, says a writer, "died defending the city he had gone to succor. His corpse, pitted with spear thrusts, had no doubt been thrown into the Nile to become the prey of the crocodiles, so that not even the palm of martyrdom could be laid upon his grave. And yet those last months of his life were one long martyrdom, as terrible as ever canonized saint was called upon to bear. Still he had seldom complained; his thoughts were not of himself, but of those who had been intrusted to him. He made the sacrifice of his own life-all that he desired was to 'save his people.' No man ever showed more touching resignation than he did, and no man ever felt a greater love for his fellow-creatures." THE BATTLE OF VALESTINOS THE GRÆCO-TURKISH WAR - CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT - Ε A.D. 1897 ARLY in March, 1897, it became clear that the Greek gov ernment intended to provoke a war with Turkey. The cause was Crete, which the Greeks desired to annex. The stimulus was the Ethnike Hetairia (National Society). This association formed an imperium in imperio, which for a time almost controlled Greek politics. It embraced within its ranks many members of the legislature and a large number of army officers. For the three months prior to the outbreak of the war the Ethnike Hetairia was more powerful than the government. Its secret fiats were irresistible, and the actual filibustering band, whose inroad against Grevena directly caused the war, was armed, equipped, and dispatched into Turkish territory by this dangerous association. This Ethnike Hetairia was indeed a formidable and mischievous body. It was a secret society embracing nearly half the young men of Greece. Its leaders and inspirers were very ambitious and almost wholly irresponsible. Owing to its influence, the king and royal family were obliged to give in to the Cretan plot, and to head a dangerous movement which they could not control. The society issued its edicts, and forthwith arms and agitators were poured into Crete. Another secret edict compelled the king to send Colonel Vassos and his soldiers to Crete. A third edict forced a menacing mobilization on the Thessalian frontier. The outside world little realized what a serious power for evil this Ethnike Hetairia wielded. The Ethnike Hetairia was very active among all the Greek col (925) |