Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-05-16

By JOHN A. STEUART.
copyright, 1898, by John Alexander steuart.l
CHAPTER NIN

evident intention of harrying US on both
fanks at once, while the camelmen, quick
ening theirp pace, advanced straight upon our
center. Our horsemen, going out easily,
also divided to check the Others, and our
main force, massed after the Arab fashion,
waited quietly for the attack.
All eyes were, OF course, on the cavalry
moving from both sides at an easy trot, as
if out for morning exercise. They made no
haste, as yet there was nothing of the mad
excitement of the charge in their behavior.
Presently they broke into q gallop, and
my heart bounded at the thought that they
were going at each other. But when they
should have burst into tho charge both
sides wheeled simultaneously, waving their
iances defiantly and uttering shrill cries
Again they advanced, again wheeled and
retired with the same truculent display CT
weapons. And SO they Went on wheeling
and circling, but instead Of getting closer
together they drew away, until finally tae;
must have been full quarter o: (! nile
apart At this distance they brought up
and stood facing each other Had known
Arab ways better, should have understood
that now the play was about to begin ii
earnest. Those little preliminary foarishes
that had set my heart ;-beat;ng so violent
" were simply IN Introductory ceremony
meant partly to appeasc the Arab passion
for show, partly to prick the courage OF the
combatants.
Meanwhile Yumen Yuscrs camelmen
had pushed on and were now down the
slope and well into the plain. When with
in q musket shot of our front lines they
halted. Then in the twinkling Of an eye
,,a1 s,, hn-l ias
while the musketecrS, crouching behind
their beasts, brought theirlonS matchlocks
to the ready" At the same cmomcnt the on
posing bodies OF horse that had been stand
ing motionIess, raising unitedly the fierce
warcry of "Techbir, ,techbir.'' started toward
each other at the full speed OF the charge.
The next instant Came the shock OF meeting,
ard far in the rear we felt the earth trem-
BILE and heard the deadly grunt and thud
and clash as the rushing columns came to-
gether. AS the horscmcn met The front
lines Of musketeers opened fire, and the tu-
multi and mndness Of battle were upon u.s.
For little tne cavalry rolled and reared
in confused heaps. Then they scattered,
and riderless horses began to career in all
directions. The canopy of dust spread and
cleared, and the antagonists retired to Their
respective sides, the enemy showing unm!s-
taxable signs of discontinue.
At this such OF our men as were Olsen
gagged raised triumphant shout, and
though Abou kuram said not word his
glitterirg eyes declared his wild satisfac-
ton. As for me, l stood in my stirrups
waving my sword and yelling myself
hoarse, for the heIlish feeling, partly I'M
holy glee, partlyiglt, partly q mad desire
to kill, which se;Zes man when Blood has
been actually spilled IN battle, had posses
sion Of me. Quircrcd like al aspen, and
was as dry in the mouth rs il had been III
the thick of tie fight Tor q day.
Again the cavalry ou both sides wheeled,
formed and charged; again they rolled in
convulsive heaps, parted with more empty
saddles, and yet again reformed and
dashed at each other. 1t was impossible to
tell which was getting the best OF it, for IN
the duststorm that ragged abou. them
nothing was discernible. But there was
no doubt on the point when presently, il
stead Of forming again, the encmy's horse
burst out of the dun cloud and went spur
ring up the hill with OUTS slcsh;ng and
stabbing at their heels.
Abou Kuram, beside himself with joy,
vociferated an order, our camelmea, sling
ing their muskets, seized their spears,
leaped upon their beasts, and with a deaf
ening roar rushed to the charge Our an
tagonists were as quick as ourselves. They,
too, took to their spears and their camels,
and, yelling like savages, the lurching
hosts fell upon each other.
Never did leader set a bravcr example
than was then set by Abou IlurTlm, and
perhaps never were a leaders value and in
fuence more potently felt. He was here,
there and everywhere, directing, encour-
aging, hewing and cutting, and ever seek.
ing the places where perils were thickest.
Ny orders were to keep by his side, but
they were not easily carried out ! hun,
dred times l lost him in the tumblinC,
whirlino addies Of attack and recoil, nun
dred t: :ncs was struck almost seasclcss in
the bloody crush, q hundred times found
myself clutching in terror at pommcI and
name as the steel cl2shed and glanced
about me, and rs often was on the point
of fainting at the sickcning sight OF r!ven
bodies, brute and human.
The reader will gather had rather lost
my head, and indeed that is q feeble wayof
putting my distraction. owe it more to
the intelligence and dcytcrity OF my little
mare than to any effort of my Own that
was not carved to death. TO this hour !
cannot imagine how | escaped where so
many better men were biting the dust; but,
when you come to think Of it, it always is
q mystery how any one ever comes alive
out of battle Surely if anything can
make the arch enemy dance with delight it
must be the ghastly spectacle of frenzied
men hacking each other to pieces.
l,-I 70, f1nrs -~,, u
more difficult than it may scem-that the
advantage lay with Us. l understood it
from the fiendish cXhiiaration of our men,
from the short, deep coughs .! satisfaction
with which they drove their weapons home,
and from the greater proportion OF shrieks
and empty saddles among our opponents.
The discovery acted Ikea drug that sets
the blood on fire. To Keep from going stark
mad roared myself black in the face and
: rode furiously whitherSoevcr my goadcd
mare chose to carry me, sometimes among
friends, ofteIer among foes, and always
with q frantic desire to see my sword run
as red as the others. Nothing less than the
mercy Of God brought me out OF th,.u
devils mess alive.
All this while Iumen Yusel and the man
on the black horse were posted on the ridge
looking down on the battle. Ihey might
be mere spectators, Indifferent to the issue,
so remote they seemed from the scene Of
anguish in which two armies were pouring
out their hearts blood. BuU when we be-
gan to gain mounted messenger camo
galloping down the slope and spoke for 4
minute or so to the commander Of Iumea
Yusels troops Whatever was his mes
sage, it put fresh force and courage into tie
men, for, getting into closer formation, they
hurled themselves upon Us with !; fury that
soon gave them back their lost ground Bn5
though we yielded a little our lances did
not slacken in theirwork Nay, the slicing
went on with redoubled energy and oaths
that were cu,dling to hear.
"Holy prophet, how they fight" cried
Amood Sim as he and Abou KUram met
for a moment in the rear. Mine eyes have
never beheld such slaughter. Look you