The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-09-21
DERV|SH FORCES
NET DIRE DEFEAT
And Fled to the Desert
for Safety
IN artillery DUEL At H HAF|R
Causes Prompt Evacuation of
the Place
OCCUPATION OF DONG0LA
Effected by Prompt Action by Expe-
dition Soldiers
The Dervish Forces Scattered and Thorough.
Iy Dishearteped
Effected by Prompt Action by Expe-
diti0n Soldiers
The Dervlsh Forces Scattered and Thorough
ly DishearteDed
In the Fall Of Dongola the Nominal OBJ
ject of the British Egyptian Expe-
dition Is Accomplished-The Eng
lish Loss Very Small
Associated Press Special Wire

SSe''
Associated Press Special Wire
KERMA- -ON-TI2- NILE, Sept. 20.
Copyright 1896).-Dongcla has fallen
and the nominal objective point of the
British Egyptian expedition has been
reached.
The river forces of the British -Egyp-
tian expedition pushing up the Nile
from Ell Hafir, landed a force at Don
gola and occupied that place before the
Dervish forces, retreating from El Hafir,
reached that point El Hafir and Dom
COLA are therefore both in the hands of
the expedition, while the Dervish forces
are somewhere between, seeking a ref
uge.
Yesterday afternoon the long range
firing continued between Dervishes or
the west bank of the Nile and the expe-
Gitionary 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 batter
les never allowed the enemy to do any
thing with their batteries.
Darkness put an end to the artillery
duel across the Mile water and stiffness
fell upon both camps. The night was
one OF waiting, though the silence of the
desert was once broken by discharge
from the Maxim guns on this side of the
river.
In the morning everyone was up al
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 enc
my's camp across the river. There was
no sign of life in the Dervish works, but
soon commotion was perceived among
the boats along the bank, and native
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 expedition,
thereupon proceeded to the west bank
where it was found that Ell Hafir had
been evacuated by enemy under cover
of the night and that not j Dervish fight
ing man was left in sight. The detach-
ment on the Dal sent back to the camp
on this side Of the river tWenty-seVen
boats, which had been manned by the
native residents of III Hafr and loaded
with great quantity of grain.
The natives announced that the enemy
had departed and that Wad Bishara,
the young emir of Dongola, who COM
manded the Dervishes, was wounded
in yesterdays fight A shell from an
Egyptian battery burst in his TENT in
ncting wounds in his breast and head,
the former being a severe hurt.
After the gunboats of the expedition
chad forced their way through past the
forts of El Hafir yesterday and had pro-
ceeded toward Dongola. the Dervishes
apparently perceived that Ell 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 a force which Immediately
occupied the treasury and the Gran
store, the principal stronghods of the
town. This news ives received with
s. delight, as it is supposed that the enc
my is row marching between here and
Dongola ln much hampered condi-
tion 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 supply stored at Dongola, if they
carnot hold place against the retreat.
ing forces of Dervishes until the forces
of the expedition have advanced to
cooperate with them
Yesterdays engagement at El I1afr
seems to have altogether dismayed the
dcrvishes, who placed great reliance
upon the fort at that place The artil
lery fire from this side of the river seems
to have entirely disconnected them. their
batteries being destroyed as soon as the
smoke from them indicated q target
for the British and Egyptian cunners
AS soon as the news of the evacuation of
Il Hatir was received, the correspond
ent of the Associated Press proceeded.t to
cross the river and make survey of the
enemy's late position 1t was found that
their mud defen5eS had been built with
great care, but the rife trenches only
permitted the men 81 very short and
straight front for protection. Mats were
still strewn along and within the trench
es, and in the straw shelters were the
remains of the carcasses of sheep which
had been killed for food. The dead had
been buried or thrown into the river.
Farther south on the river bank was
found the biggest battery. This con-