THE ARABS IN BATTLE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1317, 19 March 1885, Page 3

THE ARABS IN BATTLE.

Mr Tyndall, a young gentleman who was with the 18th Hussars at tbe El Teb engagements, is now in Melbourne, and in the course of an interview with a representative of the Herald he thus described the enemy ; “ They have no fear of death. The Mahdi teaches them that English bullets before striking them will turn into water, and if they are killed in this war will be transported to the realms of bliss. They believe him, and they fight like the fanatics that they are. They have no definite order of attack ; they don’t come into action in columns and battalions, but they swarm down on their foes like beea in one headlong charge. It was with ao assault of this kind that they broke the square at Taraai. It was a calm, still morning, and there was not a breath of air. The smoke from our rifles when we opened fire lay like a thick impenetrable cloud between the rebels and ns, and the beggars keeping close to the ground rushed up under the smokey cover and accomplished a feat which would have teen creditable for more civilised warriors. Most of them were armed with spears, having a blade about seven inches long, and a handle measuring some twelve feet. Round the butt of the handle there is a piece of iron coiled to balance the weapon, and I have been told they can burl this spear some 50 yards. The blade is a flat one, and the wounds inflicted (unless some vital part is struck) are usually not very serious—not nearly ao bad as the stab of a bayonet. They have also hamstringing knives." Some of them are armed with Remington rifles, which they have taken from the Egyptians ; the Egyptians are no good, and the rebels got their rifles and four field pieces, which they used against us. You may be »ure they never miss an opportunity of securing arms and ammunition from the §lt*ip ? ”