THE SOUDAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 60, 12 February 1885, Page 3

THE SOUDAN.

For the following extract of. the battle of Metemneh we are indebted to. the interesting account m the Sydney Morning Ilerald : — Now over all the Arab hosts the vultures have gathered m a cloud. Now Sheiks may he seen curvetting m front, brandishing lance and sword ; now a hundred banners are ' uplifted, dusky green and gplden'-lettered ; now there is a movement along the whole line. They are coining. Yes^ there is. a , yell from below that is answered, by a shriek from above, ■ for every vulture knows ' that note of war. The banners stream out, the stones fly, the solid earth shakes; The Steel-crested wave of •- 14,000 nieh comes on. :Do you hear the bugles speak? Do : you see that white-lined square move, steadily, surely," ti^' a great Ship moves to her ..'helm ? Do you see the curved head of that Arab , host strike it's angle, not its front, and the three hundred rifles pour their first volley into its hollow side ? There is a deeper and a broken hollow then. Horsemen fell backwavd. Footmen by scores made the familiar death leap. The whole force reels backward and swings upon the left side of the square, where the reformed head is once* more charging. Burnaby is there m merrier mood than ever m his life before ; for his sword drips and his beard is powder-singed, and tlic tumult m his ears is glorious m its strength. He has forced a long straight sword from a tall Sheik's hand, and has cloven his turban and his skull ; he sees through the black skins and the white smoke a something that looks like a crusader's chain armour ; he is disposed to dash at it, but must not move. There is trouble with a gun there, some tumult. Ah, they are m. A broken side." Strike now ; out with them, back with them!" And they hurled them back. But as the lust went down, he dashed up with that long keen spear, and Burnaby went down upon him and grappled him, and poured his heart's blood over a bright brown face that laughed at him as he died.