Meanwhile the mounted force were also on their way.  Like the River Column, they were disordered by the broken ground, and the XIIth Soudanese, who were unused to camel riding and mounted only on transport saddles, were soon wearied.  After one o’clock many men, both in the Camel Corps and in the battalion, fell asleep on their camels, and the officers had great difficulty in keeping them awake.  However, the force reached their point of concentration—­about three miles to the south-east of Firket—­at a quarter to three.  Here the XIIth Soudanese dismounted from their camels and became again a fighting unit.  Leaving the extra camels under a guard, Major Burn-Murdoch then advanced towards his appointed position on the hills overlooking Firket.

The Sirdar moved on again with the infantry at 2.30.  The moon had risen over the rocks to the left of the line of march, but it was only a thin crescent and did not give much light.  The very worst part of the whole track was encountered immediately the bivouac was left, and the column of nearly six thousand men had to trickle through one narrow place in single file.  There were already signs of the approach of dawn; the Dervish camp was near; the Sirdar and his Staff began to look anxious.  He sent many messages to the leading battalions to hurry; and the soldiers, although now very weary, ran and scrambled through the difficult passage like sheep crowding through a gate.  By four o’clock the leading brigade had cleared the obstacle, and the most critical moment seemed to have passed.

Suddenly, a mile to the southward, rose the sound of the beating of drums.  Everyone held his breath.  The Dervishes were prepared.  Perhaps they would attack the column before it could deploy.  Then the sound died away, and but for the clatter of the marching columns all was again silent.  It was no alarm, but only the call to the morning prayer; and the Dervishes, still ignorant that their enemies approached and that swift destruction was upon them, trooped from their huts to obey the pious summons.

The great mass of Firket mountain, still dark in the half-light, now rose up on the left of the line of march.  Between it and the river stretched a narrow strip of scrub-covered ground; and here, though obstructed by the long grass, bushes, palm-trees, and holes, the leading brigade was ordered to deploy.  There was, however, as yet only room for the Xth Soudanese to form line, and the 3rd and 4th Egyptians contented themselves with widening to column of companies—­the 3rd in rear of the right of the Xth, the 4th in rear of the centre.  The force now began to emerge from the narrow space between the hills and the river, and debouch into open country.  As the space widened No. 1 field battery came into line on the left, and No. 2 On the right of the Xth Soudanese.  A swell of ground hid Firket village, though it was known to be within a mile, and it was now daylight.  Still there was no sign that the Dervishes were prepared.