After the annihilation of his strong advanced post at Firket, the Dervish Emir, Wad Bishara, concentrated his remaining forces in Dongola.  Here during the summer he had awaited, and in the middle of August some small reinforcements under one Emir of low rank reached him from Omdurman.  The Khalifa, indeed, promised that many more should follow, but his promises long remained unfulfilled, and the greatest strength that Bishara could muster was 900 Jehadia, 800 Baggara Arabs, 2,800 spearmen, 450 camelmen, 650 cavalry—­in all 5,600 men, with six small brass cannon and one mitrailleuse gun.  To augment in numbers, if not in strength, this small force of regular soldiers, he impressed a large number of the local tribesmen; but as these were, for the most part, anxious to join the Government troops at the first opportunity, their effect in the conflict was inconsiderable.

The first sign that the forces were drawing closer was the cutting of the telegraph-wire by a Dervish patrol on the 6th of September.  On the 10th the Sirdar heard that Kerma was strongly held.  On the 15th of September the Egyptian cavalry first established contact with the Dervish scouts, and a slight skirmish took place.  On the 18th the whole force advanced to Sardek, and as Bishara still held his position at Kerma it looked as if an action was imminent.  It was resolved to attack the Dervish position at Kerma at dawn.  Although it seemed that only four miles separated the combatants, the night passed quietly.  With the first light the army began to move, and when the sun rose the spectacle of the moving masses of men and artillery, with the gunboats on the right, was inspiring.  The soldiers braced themselves for the expected action.  But no sooner were the village and fort of Kerma visible than the report passed along the ranks that they were deserted.  Rumour was soon merged in certainty, for on reaching Kerma it was found that the Dervishes had evacuated the place, and only the strong, well-built mud fort attested the recent presence of Bishara.  Whither had he gone?  The question was not left unanswered.

Half a mile to the southward, on the opposite bank of the river, among the groves of palm-trees ran a long and continuous line of shelter trenches and loopholed walls.  The flanks of this new position rested on the deep morasses which extend from the river both on the north and south sides of Hafir.  A small steamer, a fleet of large gyassas and other sailing vessels moored to the further shore explained what had happened.  Conscious of his weakness, the prudent Emir had adroitly transported himself across the river, and had thus placed that broad flood between his troops and their destruction.