THE SOUDAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 57, 9 March 1899, Page 5

THE SOUDAN.

SURRENDER OP AHMED FEDIL'S

FORCE.

2,000 DERVISH PRISONERS,

A Reuters telegram from Cairo, January 18, says; Ahmed Fedil's entire force of 2,000 men hes surrendered to the gunboat Metemmeh on the Blue Nile. Ahmed Fedil himself succeeded in escaping- in a southerly direction. Ahmed Fedi] was at the time of the battle of Omdurman the chief Emir of the dervish forces in the Eastern Soudan, and last September and October severe fighting- took place in the neighbourhood of Gedare, between his forces and those of Colonel Parsons, the Governor of Kassala. Fedil, defeated, fled towards the Abyssinian frontier. Colonel Lewis, with the 10th Soudanese Kegiment, was despatched from Omdurman in pursuit. On Boxing- Day last he came up with the Emir's forces whilst they were crossing- the Blue Nile above Itosaires. After a severe engagement, in. which. i Lewis's men stormed an island in the river, the dervishes, were beaten, 500 being killed and 1,500 taken prisoners; whilst the losses on the Egyptian side were 152 killed and wounded. The news that the remaining followers of Fedil have surrendered to the officer in charge of one of the gunboats taking part in the operations indicates that the dervishes have lost all hope of successful resistance. Ahmed Fedil has, however, again escaped, and has gone south in the direction of the Sobat* River.

SPLENDID EEHAVIOUK OP SOUDANESE TEOOPS.

Later details of the defeat of Alimentl Pedil and his followers on the Blue ISile show (says the Cairo correspondent of the 'Daily Mail') that the dervish force rivimbered abont 4,000, and that Colonel Lewis' victory was won against overwhelming numbers. Information having been received that Fedil had established himself on the cataract above Rosaires, with the intention of raiding the country, a force commanded by Colonel Lewis, consisting of 525 men, mostly belonging to the 10th Soudanese, and a small detachment of artillery, together with 300 Arab irregulars, under Sheikh Bakr, left Rosaires in the afternoon of December 25, taking two Maxims and two days' rations. They bivouacked in a deserted village, and at 2.30 the next morning were again under arms, and marched through a dense jungle till 8. o'clock, when they came hi contact with the dervish outposts, who exchanged shots. At 9 o'clock our force reached the river, and discovered Fedil's main body with their women and flocks, on a lqw island. On the east of the island the river was 100 yards broad and 4ft to Oft, deep; on" the .west, 150 yards broad and only fordable at one spot. As the Egyptians approached, Pedil proceeded to withdraw a portion of his force to the west bank of the Nile, putting- the women and children under shelter of the island bank. A large body of the enemy's riflemen took up a'position in some tall grass behind a low sandhill on the island.

A reconniasance was made under fire, aiad then the Egyptians crossed to the island from the east at two points. They formed up in line and advanced •100 yards, when the enemy's position was thoroughly discovered. Colonel Lewis detached one company to ihe right to keep down the fire of the dervish riflemen, who were posted in a commanding position on the west bank of the Kile, and concealed in a thick jungle. The troops then advanced to the attack 700 yards across optn ground, suffering from an enfilading fire from the dervishes o # n the west bank, who poured in a deadly hail of bullets.

About 30C yards from the enemy's main position Colonel Lewis halted under the cover of a sandhill, and gave orders to fix bayonets ami " charge. The dervishes desperately endeavoured to make a, stand, but tita Soudanese proved irresistible. The enemy were driven pell-mell to the edge of the river, where all the surviors threw down their arms and surrendered. Five hundred were killed and many drowned in attempting to swim the river. The friendlies lost 1.0 killed and 18 wounded. The dorvisbts on the island numbered 2000. Another 2000 who had crossed to the west bank surrendered later on on Hie White Nile to the gunboat Metemiiieh.

Colonel Lewis's exploit, is all the more remarkable considering that the troops were suffering from fever. The force returned promptly, reaching Tloj;aires at 11 on the morning of De.fember 2S. The wounded were sent hy liarg-e to Omdurman.