Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-08-12
AcHnET's RIDE.
, A soupANEsH WAR TALE.

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In the early stages of the Anglo
Egyptian advance mp the Nile in 1896,
several thousand soldiers Of all colors;
with camels, horses, mules, guns,
wagons, gunboats In sections, and the
end Of ON unfinished railroad, were
waiting at Wady Halfa for tho Nile to
rise sufficiently to permit the naviga-
tion OF the Second Cataract. Mean
while, detached bodies OF the cavalry
and camel-corps were continually
securing the surrounding desert for
marauding parties of the enemy.
A troop OF two hundred men, under
Captain Somerville, one day sighted q
strong force OF dervishes about Ave
miles from Amka, and gave chase
and long chase It. proved. AS they
advanced farther into the desert, little
knots. of Arabs were continually
springing up from nowhere, as it
seemed, and joining the enemy.
Captain Somerville and his two hun
dred charged, with shouts aud brisk
fire of revolyers and carbines, and
were met in the most provoking man
ner possible. The dervishes did not
meet the shock, but scattered, aud as
the troopers rode in, the dervishes
closed round and engulfed the little
force. In half minute the whole
scene went out In cloud Of dust and
smoke, through which vaguely APP
peared black faces and arms, flashing
eyes, squealing, bobbling camel-heads,
with the mingled reek of gunpowder,
ill.smelling hot leather aud camels-
hair dominating the whole.
There was sharp, close fighting as
the British force strove to cut its way
through, which II finally succeeded in
doing, and made for small hilock
dotted with rough black boulders.
Every soldier dismounted, dropped
behind one of these and opened a hot
fire that checked pursuit.
To Captain Somerville, at FIVE o clock
In the afternoon, the situation did not
seem comforting. The men had little
water in their TASKS: their cartridges
We're few. They could not hope for
aid from Wady Halfa, ten miles away,
unless word could be sent through.
When the captain called for n mes
senger, every one volunteered to
undertake the hazardous service. Only
three were selected-an English
trooper of the Staffordshire regiment,
an Egyptian subaltern, and Achmet
Ben Houssain, young member of the
friendly Arab scouts.
Achmet was youngster of about
seyentean, proud in the possession OF
a dromedary, Martini and belt of
cartridges. He had joined the force
with his father and most of his tribe,
MS free scouts. The three were to
leave the camp separately, as soon rs
IL became dark.
When the swift darkness of old
Egypt came on, the English trooper
shook hands with his comrades,
tightened his belt and crept off down
into the gloom on foot. The Egyptian
subaltern followed without word to
any one.
Lastly young Achmet sailed out on
his beloved dromedary, and COM,
menced to ride around the hillock in
q spiral direction that brought him
continually nearer the besiegers'lines.
He trusted that his course would pro.
duce the impression that he was
chief riding about on tour of inspec-
ton. This artifce seemed to have
succeeded when voice challenged
him.
Adjunct was about TO reply when he
heard pistol-shot from the other side.
of the position, then q volley of firing
and confusion-then silence. One of
the three messengers had been killed.
Reused by the uproar, the dervishes
near Achmet began again to fire at the
dusky hillside, so TIE shrewd boy
raised his rife and fred with the rest.
taking care to shoot SO that his bullets
would 60 high. Then he continued
his round, constantly edging toward
che desert.
Three times they challenged the
boy, but he, answered so readily so
that they letlhim pass. But all had
seen him and he was watched closely.
At last Achmet thought himself
clear of the enemy. He settled in his