He Therefore Made The Customary Pentagonal Mark On The Sand To Ensure Good Luck, And So Returned To Firket To Renew His Dispute With Hammuda, Bearing The Reassuring News That 'the Turks Lay Quiet.'

The force which the Sirdar had concentrated for the capture of Firket amounted to about nine thousand men, and was organised as follows:

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Commander-in-Chief: THE SIRDAR

The Infantry Division: COLONEL HUNTER Commanding

1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade Major LEWIS MAJOR MACDONALD MAJOR MAXWELL 3rd Egyptians IXth Soudanese 2nd Egyptians 4th " XIth " 7th " Xth Soudanese XIIth " 8th " XIIIth "

Mounted Forces: MAJOR BURN-MURDOCH

Egyptian Cavalry . . . . 7 squadrons Camel Corps . . . . . 8 companies

Artillery

Horse Artillery . . . . 1 battery Field Artillery . . . . 2 batteries Maxim Guns . . . . . 1 battery

Two roads led from Akasha to Firket - one by the bank of the river, the other inland and along the projected railway line. The Sirdar determined to avail himself of both. The force was therefore divided into two columns. The main column, under command of the Sirdar, was to move by the river road, and consisted of the infantry division, the Field Artillery, and the Maxim guns. The Desert Column, under command of Major Burn-Murdoch, consisted of the mounted forces, the Horse Artillery, and one battalion of infantry (the XIIth Soudanese) drawn from MacDonald's brigade and mounted upon camels: in all about two thousand men. Very precise orders were given to the smaller column, and Burn-Murdoch was instructed to occupy the hills to the south-east of the centre of Firket village by 4.30 A.M.; to dispose his force facing west, with the cavalry on the left, the Camel Corps in the centre, and the XIIth Soudanese on the right.

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