The Commandant had taken the other road, and had immediately fallen in with the enemy, whom after some severe fighting he drove back. We, in making our way through the belt of forest, had driven the enemy in front of us across his column, which checked them, and we advanced at a right angle. When the Arab forces dispersed, we were left firing into each other, the grass being very long and neither of our columns numerous. Fortunately, only one of our men was killed and three or four wounded by this unpleasant accident. Our buglers, on both sides, were blowing their best, but could of course not be heard more than twenty yards distant in the din of battle, whereas the drum could be heard above everything.

As soon as we could get a large enough number of men into order we followed the retreating Arabs, and came upon their