TEE 'EASTERN SOUDAN. 
271 
This force arrived at Rera just in time to hear of the loss of Abu Delek, 
and at once determined on attacking our men by nigbt not far from 
and west of the Atbara river. Our levies were surprised because their 
sentries were badly placed—they were too close to the main body, so 
close as to render it quite impossible to prevent the main body being 
rushed, and furthermore, when the sentries did report to the command¬ 
er that they had seen, cavalry in the distance, the commander, a gallant 
Sheikh of the Beni Amer tribe said, “ No, no, impossible; there can¬ 
not be any cavalry; go back to your posts you must have seen some 
ostriches.” It was very unfortunate this relieving force arriving at Rera 
when it did, had they not arrived at this inopportune moment, our forces 
would have returned to Kassala uninjured; as it was, severe hand-to- 
hand fighting took place, the losses on both sides being heavy, and we 
lost several men killed including our commander. Our wounded convoy 
of forty-seven returned to Kassala suffering mostly from sword and 
spear wounds. 
Strategical 
Situation. 
The result of these minor engagements in the 
Eastern Soudan was, that the Gedarif inhabitants 
petitioned the Khalifa for assistance, themselves 
fearing attack. The Khalifa consequently withdrew his cousin Ahmed 
Fedil with 5,000 men from the Nile force, (commanded by the Emir 
Mahmud,) and sent him to Gedarif. It was satisfactory to all of us to 
feel, that with our small force we had been able to render some slight 
aid to the Anglo-Egyptian force by being instrumental in lessening the 
forces opposed to them. 
Occupation 
of Adarama. 
To turn to the Atbara for a moment. Adarama 
was in the month of March garrisoned by raw levies 
Mahmud’s 
defeat on 
the Atbara. 
raised at Kassala and enlisted from the Hadendowa 
tribe who opposed British troops with such bravery at El Teb and 
Tamai in 1884. Adarama was Osman Digna's stronghold for some 
years. From there he retired without any fighting on General Hunter 
occupying Berber, in the autumn of 1897. As soon as Osman Digna 
went, we sent up levies from Kassala, and garrisoned Adarama. 
After this occupation, the next important incident 
in the Soudan was the news of the Emir Mahmud's 
defeat on the Atbara in April 1898, gratifying news 
to us, as we had heard a report that for some few 
days early in April, Mahmud and his force could not be found. We 
concluded he was coming up the Atbara to invest Kassala, particularly 
so when we heard that Osman Digna had moved from the Nile and at¬ 
tacked our post at Adarama. It appeared probable he was commanding 
Mahmud's advance guard and heading south. 
interception Our orders after the defeat of Mahmud were to in- 
. tercept all fugitives heading for Gedarif and Abu 
Delek:. Major Benson was now appointed lommana- 
tlxe Atfaara * er of the levies who, throughout the previous actions 
had been fighting by themselves under their own sheikhs. 
He had under him, manoeuvring on the river in April 1898, about 400 
men, his second in command, at a later period being Major Wilkinson, of 
