Moreover, He Had Marched
To The Attack In The Belief That They Were Equally Divided On Both Sides Of
The River.
Retreat was, however, impossible.
Strong as was the position
of the enemy, formidable as was their strength, the direct assault was
actually safer than a retirement through the nineteen miles of gloomy
forest which lay between the adventurous column and Rosaires. The British
officer immediately determined to engage. At nine o'clock the two Maxims,
which represented the artillery of the little force, came into action in
good positions, while the Xth Soudanese and most of the irregulars lined
the east bank. Musketry and Maxim fire was now opened at long range.
The Dervishes replied, and as the smoke of their rifles gradually revealed
their position and their numbers, it soon became evident that no long-range
fire could dislodge them; and Colonel Lewis resolved, in spite of the great
disparity of force and disadvantage of ground, to attack them with
the bayonet. Some time was spent in finding fords across the interposing
arm of the river, and it was not until past ten o'clock that Bakr's men
crossed on to the island, and, supported by a company of the Xth Soudanese,
advanced towards the enemy's right and took up a position at about
800 yards from their line, to cover the rest of the passage.
Colonel Lewis now determined to turn the enemy's left from the north,
attack them in flank, and roll them into the deep part of the river.
With the Xth Soudanese, under Colonel Nason and Major Fergusson, he marched
northwards along the river's edge, sheltering as far as possible under the
curve of the bank from the fire, which now began to cause casualties.
Having reached the position from which it was determined to deliver
the attack, the battalion deployed into line, and, changing front half left,
advanced obliquely by alternate companies across the bare shingle towards
the sandhills.
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