They were seen to leave by a cavalry patrol.

As soon as the patrol reached camp, all the available horse, two hundred and forty in number, started under Major Murdoch.

Four miles out, they came in sight of three hundred mounted Dervishes, with a thousand spearmen on foot.
"The ground was rough, and unfavourable for a cavalry charge; so the cavalry retired to a valley, between two hills, in order to get better ground.

While they were doing so, however, the Dervishes charged down upon them.

Murdoch rode at them at once, and there was a hand-to-hand fight that lasted for twenty minutes.