Mahdism and the Dervish power in the Soudan have literally
been swept out of existence. Omdurman fell on Friday week, but owing to the interruption of the wires the news was not published in London until Sunday. The battle was tactically a simple one. On the Thursday night our force got within some four or five miles of Omdurman and ) there bivouacked. Before dawn on the Friday the troops were under arms and ready to march to the attack of the Khalifa's forces. As soon as day broke, however, the 21st Lancers, who had been scouting on our left, brought back news that
the whole of the enemy, some fifty thousand men, horse 1 and foot, were advancing in close battle order, with a front three miles long, and interspersed with innumerable 1 banners—we follow the admirable account by the corre- spondent of the Daily Telegraph—"and the glittering sheen of steel,"—a sight such as few men have seen or ever will see 5 again, for no civilised army fights in close order, and few or 7 no savage peoples could now put such a force of armed and 0 disciplined warriors into the field. As the Khalifa's force advanced there rose from it a roar "as though from a distant and surf-beaten shore."
