St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-22
ONE THOUSAND LIVES
In a Hot Engagement Be-
tween Egyptian Troops
and Oman Digna.
A Desperate Hand-to-Hand,
BayOnet-tO-Speap and
Sword Battle.
The Defeated Leader, With
Thirty Followers, Flies
Toward Temvin.
Secretary Blaine's Proposed
Treaty Discussed in
Madrid.

AFAFITE, Egypt, via Suallim. Feb 81.
A severe engagement was fought at
Tokar on Feb. ~ between the Egyptian
troops who recently left FL Teb and
OSman Digna's forces. Nearly l,00U
lives were lost in the battle which fol-
lowed the appearance OF the Egyptians
at Tokar. The Egyptians made their
advance during the early dawn of the
morning of Thursday last. The enemy
was sighted near Tokar, and, after an
exchange of shots between the skirmish-
ers of the enemy and the advance guard
Of the Egyptians, the latter pushed for
ward through the bruShwood surround-
ing Tokar and its neighbOrho0d in
order to seize the old government build
ing, now little moro than tumble
down ruin, but which forms 4 strategic
point where force OF infantry could
hold out against heavy odds. The
dervIshes, seeing the object of the
Egyptian advance in that direction,
made a rush for the building and sur
rounded it Dy a compact mass of Arab
riHemen, who poured hot fire into the
ranks of the advancing Egyptians. The
latter, however, were not to be checked
in their advance, returning the
Arabs fire as they advanced. The
Egyptians fixed bayOnets when within
easy distance of the enemy and bTaveIy
charged upon the defenders of the old
ruins. For over an hour q desperate
hand-to-hand bayOnet-to-spear and
sword fight followed, during which the
Egyptian troops fought with the most
determined bravery. Finally the Egypt
ian cavalry made brilliant charge
upon the derviShes, who retired in dis
order, suffering crushing defeat. The
dervishes numbered at least 1000 fight
ing men. About an equal force Of
Egyptians succeeded in reaching the
shelter of the building before
the Arabs surrounded them for the at
tack. After the retreat of the deryishes
the troops found over 200 dead around
the position mentioned, while large
numbers of dead were lying in the
bushes around the buildings. Nearly
every emir of importance who was pres
ent at .he battle fell upon the field.
Osman Dgna did not take part in the
fight, but watched its progress from
point of vantage near Afalite. After
seeing that his faithful followers had
suffered disastrous defeat Osnan
Digna, accompanied by about thirty
h0rsemen, fed toward Temrin. The
Egyptians tonight bivOuac at Afalite
and will advance on Temrin tomorrow.
The losses upon the part of the Egyp-
tians are Capt. Barrow and twelve men
killed and Capt. Berry and four Egypt
ian officers and forty-two men wounded.
After leaving garrison Of troops to
garrison Tokar, the Egyptian troops
marched direct to Afafte and assembled
the hills recently occupied by the enc
my. Afafite was found to have been
va,'nted. though there were hundreds OF
Arabs in the vicinity. These Arabs
quietly surrendered to the Egyptians,
handing over to their captors number
of spears and rifles and two guns.
The Egyptians also captured large
quantities of stores and ammunition.