eight o'clock
There was another informal council of war , but all agreed that a retreat , through this difficult country , would bring about the total annihilation of the force ; and that there was nothing to do but to fight . Early in the morning , they started again . For the first two hours , the road led through grass so high that even the men on camels could not see above it . They pushed on till eight o'clock , when they reached a small knoll . At the foot of this they halted , and Colonel Parsons and the officers ascended it , to reconnoitre . They saw , at once , that the deserter 's news was true . A mile away four lines of Dervishes , marching in excellent order , were making their way towards them .