Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-21
kHARTOUM NEXT?
British Nile Expedition at Its
Objective Point.
DONGCLA FALLS AN EASY PREY,
After FL Hnfir Is Made Too Hot for the
Dervishes, Who Are Now Between Two
Fires, Retreating to the Captured Dom
COLA with the British Troops Following
Natives Welcome the White Invaders
Fortiiications at IL Haiir Described.

kema, On-the-Nile, Sept. 2i.-[Copy-
sight, 1885, by the Associated Press. II
nsngola has fallen and the nominal OBJ
je.tiye point of the British-Egyptian cz-
petition has been reached.
The river forces OF the BriIish-Egyptian
expedition, pushing ND the Nile from FL
1iafir (the scene of saturdays flght),
landed force at Dongola and occupied
that place befoie the derviSh forces re.
treating from FL Hafir reached that point.
FL Hair and Dongola are therefore both
in the hands of the expedition, while tho
dcrvish forces are somewhere between
seeking o refuge.
saturday afternoon the long-range fir
ing continued between the dervishGs on
the west bank OF the Nile and the cxpedi-
tionary 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 anything with
thcir batteries. Darkness put an end to
the artillery ducl across the Nile water,
, and stiffness fell upon both camps.
Had Evacuated the Town.
Yesterday morning every one was up at
dIyhrcak, anxious 20 know what change
In tn, situation had developed during the
night, and what would he the next move,
and eagerly scanning the encinys camp
across the river. There was no sign of
lie in the dcrvish works. but soon Il COM
motion was perceived among the boats
along the bank and native in one of
them was di-Cerncl in the act Of waving
something, a. though for 4 signal to this
side of the river. The steamer Dal. of the
cxpcditiolary force, thcrcupon proceeded
to the west bank of the river, where it was
found that III Haiir had been evacuated
by the enemy under cover OF the night,
and thlt not dcrysh fighting man was
lcf; in sight. The detachment on the Dal
| sent back To- the camp on this side Of tho
river twcnty-scyCn boats which Ind been
! manned by the native residents OF FL Hafr
and loaded with a great quantity of grain.
Enemy in Very Bad Flight.
Yesterday afternoon the news ar
rived here that the steamers and gum
boats of tho expedition had reached
Dongola and had landed force, which
Immediately occupied the treasury and
| the Srain store. the principal strong
| hold Of the town. This news was re-
Cgivod here with delight. as it is sup
posed that the enemy is now marching
| betW cen here and Jongoia in a much
! hamp-red condition. by the reason Of
| the number of their wounded. with
| their retreat along the river bank
! threatened by the steamers. which can
| destroy at any moment the food sup
| plies stored at DonEola, if they cannot
| hold that place against the retreating
| forces of dervishes until land forces Of
the expedition have advanced To coop
crate with them. Saturdays engage
| mcnt at FL Hair seems 10 have alto
! gctheT diSmayed the derviShes who
| placed great reliance upon the fort at
| that place. They believed that the
| fort would he able to prevent the pas
| sage of any of the steamers OF the eX-
| pedition up the Nile.
British Welcomed by the Natives.
| The native residents of E,l Hafir have
! welcomed the appearance of the Brit
| ish and t,Gy ptian expedition and seem
| to regard their advance as assurance
| of a deliverancc from the rule of the
| Ehaiifa and the I;aCEaraS. the khali-
fas native tribe. who have exercised a
| cruel domination over the Nile tribes
| From the description Of Saturdays fight
| furnished by the natives it appears
| that the dervish cavalry kept out ir
| the desert watching the fight and
| waiting for landing of opposing
| forces. Wad Bishara. the dervish COM
| mander. was wounded at about noon
| and was Immediately carried out ot
| range of the fire. repeatedly eXcla sl-
ing To those who surrounded him:
Allah is against me-