A DARING RECONNOISSANCE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3507, 3 October 1882, Page 4

A DARING RECONNOISSANCE.

A despatch from Alexandria, dated August 15th, says : —Lieutenants SmithDorrien, of the Invincible, and Hamilton, of the Alexandra, on Monday night waded across the Mahmoudich Canal and Mariout Lake, the water being only ankle deep. They advanced to a point within six hundred yards of the enemy's line and then retired to report upon the result of their enterprise, •which, was as follows : —Lieutenant Hamilton and myself after proceeding very cautiously about seventeen miles without an escort, arrived at half-past two o'clock on Tuesday morning within 300 yards of the enemy's cavalry camp. The night was very dark and we were unable to get details of the position. We therefore decided to find a point which would enable us to see the camp when daylight broke. We had not moved thirty yards when the enemy's picket saw us and showed a bright light, which was directly answered along the line. We ran about a mile and entered the lake about one hundred yards. The enemy pursued us and spread themselves along the lake, -completely cutting off our retreat. Their horses seemed to be afraid to face the water in the dark. The enemy's system of signalling with lights appeared to be excellent. Our every movement was flashed by the nearest man and answered along the line. I presume the enemy did not fire in order not to alarm any force we might have had near. We tied a white handkerchief to a pole in the expectation of being captured, but afterward decided to make another attempt to escape. At four o'clock in the morning we went 100 yards further into the lake and lay down in two feet of water. The ecemy, evidently losing sight of us, retired. At a quarter to five we rose, and having made a long detour, returned to the English camp."