TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 445 



White Nile, but the party was able to keep within one hour of the 

 schedule time for the arrival. 



A steam launch filled with newspaper correspondents who had 

 been sent from all parts of the w^orld accompanied the Dal in the last 

 part of the trip. 



Upon the pier Colonel Roosevelt was pressed by an enormous 

 and enthusiastic crowd, all anxious for the nearest possible view 

 of the American, but his escort saved him from any possible dis- 

 comfort. 



Khartoum endeavored to conceal her disappointment because 

 Colonel Roosevelt did not come out of the wilds literally swinging 

 his hat and whooping. The Soudan had pictured Roosevelt as a 

 rampant Yankee filled with an irresistible enthusiasm, and it ex- 

 pected that he would advance wuth a cow-boy flourish. 



THE COLONEL'S SECOND DAY IN KHARTOUM. 



Colonel Roosevelt's second day in Khartoum was given up 

 largely to sight-seeing, and the most interesting place of all to the 

 former President was the battlefield of Kerreri, which lies seven 

 miles north of Omdurman. It was there that the advance of the 

 Anglo-Eg3^ptian army, under Sir Herbert Kitchener, was contested 

 by the Khalifa and his troops, numbering about 40,000, and it was 

 here that the bodies of 11,000 dead Dervishes were counted the 

 following day. 



An escort of picturesquely-attired Soudanese cavalry was in 

 waiting when the 3aclit came to her dock. Colonel Roosevelt 

 inspected the squad, and then the party mounted camels prepara- 

 tor}^ to the seven-mile trip over dusty roads. 



The first halt was at the monument erected to the Twenty- 

 first Lancers, who here received their baptism of fire. In this 

 battle the Lancers made a desperate charge to save the da3^ but 

 they fell into an ambush at one of the dry water courses seaming 

 the plain, and many of them were speared by the Dervishes. 



Thence they proceeded to a hill overlooking the battlefield. 

 Slatin Pasha, Inspector General, explained the position and attack, 

 and graphically described the operations. Colonel Roosevelt 



