A picturesque incident in the fight is worth recording. When
the action was over the men who had worked the Dervishes' guns came in. They stated that they had been- artillerymen in Hicks Pasha's army, and had been captured by the Dervishes. They were forced to work the guns by Baggaras—that is, men of the dominant tribe—who stood over them with drawn swords and saw that they pointed the guns properly. The Dervishes did not, however, understand the use of the fuses, and therefore the gunners, who wished to do as little damage as possible, omitted these. This is said to be the reason why the artillery fire did so little harm, and why the steamers, though constantly hit, were very little damaged. The Baggaras certainly do not seem able to> inspire their subjects with much love. On the whole, the loss of life in the occupation of Dongola was small. Colonel Colville was wounded, and one English sergeant was killed on one of the gunboats. The only disappointed persons in Dongola just now are the men of the North Staffordshire Regiment, who complain bitterly that they enjoyed no. fighting.
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