Evening journal., 1896-09-21

R'VAUet-eAofJ OF tho March.
KERMA, Egypt, Sept ei. - Dongola
has fallen, and the nominal objective point
of the British-E Egyptian expedition has |
boon reached
The river forces Of the British Egyptian |
expedition, pushing up the Nile from El
Hair, landed force at DoDgola and oc-.
cupcd that place boforetho dcrvish forces
retreating from El Haflr reached that
point
El Hair and Dongola are therefore both
In the hands Of the expedition, while the
dervish forces ara somewhere between
seeking refuge.
Saturday afternoon the long range fir
ing continued between the dervishes on
the west bank of the Nile and the expedi-
tlonary forces 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
allowed tho enemy to do anything With
their heavy guns.
Darkness put an end to the artillery
duel across the Nile water. and stiffness
foil upon both camps The night was one
OF waiting, though the silence OF the desert
was once broken by a discharge from the
maxim guns en- this side of the river.
In the morning everyone was up at
day break anx9ous to know what change
in the situation had developed during
the night and what would be the next
move and eagerly scanning the enomy's
camp across the river. Thore was no sign
of life In the dervish works, but soon a
commotion was perceived among the boats
along the bank, and native in one OF
them was disoerned in the act of waving
something, as though for a signal to this
side Of the river.
The steamer Dal of the oxpeditionary
forces thereupon proceeded to the west
bank Of the river, where it was found that
El Hahr had been evacuated by the enemy
under cover of the night and that not
dervlsh fighting man was left In sight
The detachment on the Dal sent back to
the camp on this side Of the rver 81 boats,
which had been manned by the native resi-
dents of FL Hafr and loaded with a great
quantity Of grain.
Wad Bishara Wounded.
The natives announced that the enemys
had departed and that Wad Bishara, the
young emir Of Dongola, who commanded
tho dervishes, was wounded in the fight
A shell from an Egyptian battery burst
in his tent, inflicting wounds IN his breast
and head, the former being severe hurt.
After the gunboats of the expedition had
FL Hafr and had proceeded southwark to-
ward Dongola, the dervishes apparently
perceived that El Haar was no longer the
place for them, and they prepared 60 de-
part They buried as many Of their dead
as they had time for. The rest were pre-
pared with stono around the neck and
thrown into the Nile.
Yesterday afternoon the news arrived
here that the steamers and gunboats Of
the expedition had reached Dongola and
had landed force which Immediately oc-
cupied the treasury and tho grain store,
the principal stronghold of the town.
This News was received here with delight
as It IS supposed that the enemy is now
marching between here and Dongola in a
much hampercd condition by reason
Of the number Of their wounded and that
they retreated along the river bank, threat.
ened by the steamers which can destroy
at any moment the food supplies stored at
Dongola II they cannot hold that place
against the retreating forces of dervishes
until theland forces of the expedition have
advanced to cooperate with them.
The engagement at El Haflr seems to
have altogether dismayed the dervishes
who placed great reliance upon the fort at
that place. They believed that that 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 disconnected
them, their batteries being destroyed as
soon as tho smoke from them indicated a
tnrgot for the British and Egyptian gun
ners
After the Evacuation.
As soon as the news Of the evacuation
of El Hafir was received the correspondent
proceeded TO cross the river and make a
survey Of the eneny's late position. II
was found that their mud defenses had
bcan built with great care, but the rife
trenches only permitted the men very
short and straight front for protection.
Mats were still strewn along, and within
the tunchos and in the straw shelters were
tho remains Of the carcasses Of sheep,
which had been killed to supply food ia
she defenders. The dead had been buried OF
thrown into the river.
Farther south on tho river bank was
found their biggest battery This work
contained five embrasures for guns, three
in front and two at the side. This battery
has been terribly knocked about by the
artillery fro from the east bank and from
the steamers.
Still farther south was a big entranch.
ment facing toward the north and on
tho Nile There was noticed the same
system Of piercing the wall in such a way
as to allow firing only in one direction.
In this entrenchmont it was apparent
that the rifemen had made plucky re-
sistance, staying in the trenches all day
and eating where they lay, as was oyi
dencod by the quantity Of dates and watei
gourds lying about, left in the retreat
The native residents of El HAIR have
welcomed the appearance of the British
and Egyptian expedition and seem TO re
gard their advance as assurance of a deliver
anoo from the rule of the khalifa and tn,
Baggaras, the khalifa's native tribe, WHIT
have exercised a cruel dominion over th'
Nile tribes From tho description of tn,
fight furnished by the natives it appears
that the deryish cavalry kept out in thl
desert watching the fight and waiting fo
q landing of opposing forces TO take part
Wad Bishara, the. deryish commander
was wounded at about noon and was i'm
mediatoly carried out OF range of the fire