The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-09-21
DONGOLA IS TAKEN
Ihe British Egyptian Expedition
Gains a Point
DERVlSH FORCES ROUTED
The Natives Welcome the Vlotors.
Whose Advance ihey Regard
as Assurance of Deliveranoe q
From the khalIfa's kule.
DERvlSH FORCES ROUTED
Copyright 1896 by Associated Press.


Kerma on the Nile. Sept 2O.-Don-
gola has fallen and the nominal
objective point of the British Egyp-
tion expedition has been reached. TIE
river force OF the British Egyptian ex-
pedition pushing up the Nile from Ell
Hafir, landed a force at Dongola and
occupied that place before the Der
wish forces. retreating from El-Hafir.
reached that point El-Hafir and Dom
gola are therefore both In the hands OF
the expedition. while the Dervlsh
forces are somewhere between seek
Ing refuge,
Yesterday afternoon Ito resume the
connected narrative OF the expedition)
the long range firing continued be-
tween the Dervishes on the west bank
of the Nile and the expeditionary force
on this side. The Maxim guns, with
their sweeping hail of fire. did great
execution In the Dervish ranks. while
the field and horse batteries never al
lowed the enemy to do anything with
their batteries. Darkness put an end
to the artillery duel across the Nile
water and stiffness fell upon both
camps. The night was one OF waiting.
though the silence of the desert was
once broken by a discharge of the
Maxim guns on this side of the river.
In the morning everyone was up at
daybreak, anxious to know what
change in the situation had developed
during the night and what would be
the next move, and eagerly scanned
the enemy's camp across the river.
There was no sign of life In the Der
wish works. but soon commotion was
perceived among the boats along the
bank and a native In one of them was
discerned In the act of waving some
thing as though for the signal to this
side OF the river. The steamer Dal,
of the expeditionary force. thereupon
proceeded to the west bank of the
river, where II was found that FL
Haflr had been evacuated by the enc
my, under cover Of the night. and that
not Dervish fighting man was left in
sight. The detachment on the Dal
sent back to the campers on this side
of the river 27 boats which had been
manned by the native residents of Ell
Haf1r and loaded with great guam
tity Of grain.
The natives announced that the ene-
my had departed and that Wad Blsh-
ara, the young heir of Dongola, who
commanded the Dervishes, was wound
ed in yesterdays fight A shell fired
from an Egyptian battery burst In his
tent. infiicting wounds In his breast
and head, the former being a severe
hurt. After the gunboats Of the expe-
dition had forced their way through
past the forts at El-Hafir yesterday
and had proceeded southwark towards
Dongola, the Dervishes apparently
perceived that El-Hafir was no longer
the place for them. and they prepared
to depart. They buried as many OF
their dead as they had time for. The
rest were prepared with a stone
around their necks and thrown into
the Nile.
This afternoon the news arrived here
that the steamers and gunboats OF the
expedition had reached Dongola and
had landed force which Immediately
occupied the principal stronghold OF
the town. The news was received here
with delight, as II is supposed that the
enemy Is now marching between here
and Dongola In much hampered
condition. BY reason OF the number
of their wounded and their retreat
along the river bank threatened by the
steamers which can destroy at any
moment the food supplies stored at
Dongola, IL they cannot hold a place
against the retreating forces Of Der
wishes until land forces OF the expedl-
ton have advanced to cooperate with
them.
Yesterdays engagement at El-Hafir
seems TO have altogether dlsmayed the
Dervishes. who placed great reliance
upon the fort at that place. They be-
leved that the fort would be able to
Prevent the passage OF any of the
steamers Of the expedition up the Nile.
The artillery fire from this side Of the
river seems to have entirely discon-
certed them, their batteries being de-
stroyed as soon as the smoke from
them indicated n target for the Brit
ish and Egyptian gunners. As soon as
the news Of the evacuation OF El-Haflr
was received the correspondent OF the
associated press proceeded TO cross the
river and make a survey OF the on
Cmy's late position. Ii was found thai
their defenses had been built with
great care. but the rife trenches only
permitted the men n very short ami
straight front for protection. Hats
we're still strewn along and within the
trenches and in the straw shelters
were the remains of the carcasses of
sheep. which had been killed To supply
food To the defenders. The dead had
been buried or thrown into the river.
Further south on the river bank was
found their biggest battery. This
work contained Ave embrasures for
guns. three In front and two at the
sides. This battery had been terribly
Knocked about by the artillery fire
from the east bank and from the
steamers
Still further south was a big re-
trenchment facing towards the north
end onto the Nile. There was noticed
the same system OF piercing the wall
IN such way "a to allow firing only
in one direction. In this entrenchment
u was apparent that the rifiemen had
made a plucky resistance, staying In
the trenches all day and eating where
they lay. as was evidenced by the
quantity of dates ard water gourds
wing about. left in the retreat.
The native residents ~ El-Hafir
have welcomed the app arance Of the
British and Egyptian expedition and
seem 10 regard their advance as as
surance Of driiyerancr from the rule.
~ the khalifa and the DlgEarass. the
kh1lifa's native tribe. who have eNrr-
C.sed cruel domination over the Nile
tribes. From the description ~ yes
terday's fiEht furnish a BY the ma
tives, II appears that the Deryishcs'
cavalry Kept out iu the desert watch
irg the hight and waIting for a landing
~ opposing forces 10 take part. Wad
II - -.