The Saint Paul globe., 1896-09-21
INVADING FORCES COMPEL THE
DERvIsHEs TO ABANDON Ell
HAFIR.
MAXIM GUNS WERE DEADLY.
BOASTED STRONGHOLDs OF THE
NATIVES SOON REDUCED by
THEIR FIRE.
GUNBoATs FORCE A PASSAGE.
Are Now I'm Possession of the
Emir's Capital Awaiting the
Arrival of Troops.

KERMA-ON-THE-N NILE, Sept 90
Dongola has fallen and the nominal
objective point of the British Egyptian
expedition has been reached.
The river forces of the British
Egyptian expedition, pushing up the
Nile from Ell Hafir, landed force at
Dongola and occupied that place be-
fore the dervish forces retreating from
Ell Hafir reached that point. Ell Hafir
and Dongola are therefore in the hands
of the expedition, while the dervish
forces are somewhere between seeking
a refuge.
Yesterday afternoon (to 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 allowed the enemy to do any,.
thing 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 wait
ing, though the silence Of the desert
was once broken by a discharge from
the Maxim guns from this side Of the
river.
In the morning, every one 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 scanning
the enemies, camp across the river.
rxroc cic 0fl Il
works, but soon a commotion was per-
ceived 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 signal to this
side of the river.
The steamer Dal of the expeditionary
force thereupon proceeded to the west
bank of the river, where it was found
that
Ell HAFIR. WAS EVACUATED
by the enemy under the cover of night,
and that not a dervish fighting man
was left in sight. The detachment of
the Dal sent back to the camp on this
Slde OF the river tWenty-seven boats
which had been named by the native
residents Of El Hafir and loaded with
great quantity of grain.
The natives announced that the enc
my had departed and that Wad Bish-
ara, the young emir of Dongola, who
commanded the dervishes was wound
ed in yesterdays fight. A shell from an
egyptian battery burst in his tent, in
nlchng wounds in his breast and head,
the former being a severe hurt,
After the gunboats of the expedition
had forced their way through past the
fcrts at FL Haf1r yesterday and had
proceeded southwark toward Dongola
the dervishes apparently perceived
that El Hafir was no longer the place
Tor them and they prepared to depart
They buried as many of their dead as
they had time for. The rest were pre-
pared with stone around the neck
and thrown into the Nile.
inns afternoon the news arrived
mere that the steamers and gunboats
OF the expedition had reached Dongola
and had landed force, which immedi-
ately occupied the treasury and the
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 be-
tween here and Dongola in a much
hampered condition, by the 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, if they cannot hold that
place against the retreating forces of
dervishes until land forces Of the ex-
peditlon have advanced to cooperate
with them. Yesterdays engagement
at Ell Hafir seems to have altogethe1,
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 steamers of the expe-
dltion up the Nile
The artillery fire from this side of
the-river seems to have entirely discon-
certed them, their batteries being de-
stfoyed rs soon as the smoke from
| them indicated a target for the Brit
isl and Egyptian gunners
| AS soon as the news Of the eyacua-
| ton OF Ell Hafir was received. the cor
respondent proceeded to cross the river
and make survey Of the enemy's late
| position. 1t was found that their mud
defenses had been built with great
care, but the rifle trenches only per
! mltted the men very short and
straight front protection. Mats were
| still StreWn along and within the
treneheS and in the straw shelters were
| the remains of the carcasses of sheep.
which had been killed to supply food
| 1or the defenders. The dead had been
! buried or thrown into the river
Further south on the river ba nix
was found their biggest battery. This
work contained five embrasllres for
I guns, three in front and two ar tba
! side. This battery had been terrible
Knocked about by the artillery fire
from the east bank and from the
steamers. Still further south was a
big entrenchment facing towards the
north and onto the Nile There was
noticed the same system Of piercing
| the wall in such way as to allow the
firing in only one direction. In this
entrenchment it was apparent that the
rif1emen had made a plucky resistance
staying in the trenches all day and
| eating where they lay, as was evil
/ denced by the quantities of dates and
water gourds lying about left in the
/ retreat.
The native residents of Ell Haar
have welcomed the appearance of the
British and Egyptian expedition. and
| seem to regard their advance as as
| surance of a deliverance from the rule
| OF the kahlifa and the Baggaras. the
kahiifa's native. tribe. which has
| exercised cruel domination over the
| Nile tribes. From the description of
yesterdays fight furnished by the ma
| tives, 1t appears that the dervish cav
| airy kept out in the desert watching
| the fight. and waiting for landing Of
! opposing forces to take part
EMIR WOUNDED.
| Wad Bishara, the dervish command
er, was wounded at about noon. and
vas Immediately carried out of range
| OF the fire. repea tedly exeiaiY,oipo to