"B" Company (Highlanders), 1st Battalion 85th Borsetshire Regiment accompanied by a "A" Troop of the Kedgeree Lancers and some artillery support was given the task of going to Dolligrip and finding out what was going on at the mines.   In command would be Captain Maurice St John Eager, hero of Pardoo Station.

Eager's mood was low following the retreat from Mahaba, and this was compounded by his troubled personal life...

Amir Ali Khemkeel current owner of the silver and besieger of the mines was in a much happier state of mind.   Aware that the British were sending in a scouting force he bent his mind to plotting the total destruction of the small force, buying him time to winkle out the sepoys and plunder the remainder of the mine.
 
As Eager force approached, the little town of Dolligrip appeared quiet and tranquil...

...but the lancers scouting ahead, given orders to "go down that road until you get shot at, then report back" soon did just that, as dervish riflemen in a nearby farm building opened up.

and suddenly dervishes emerged from all sides, throwing themselves on the small British force.

Camel mounted devishes appeared behind the British, threatening to completely surround them and cut off their retreat.   Captain Eager personally led a charge of the Kedgeree Lancers which swept away the enemy.   Eager had a miraculous escape as a dervish sabre was deflected from his pith helmet.

Now Eager took charge of the situation, arranging his men in to close order and slowly falling back from the oncoming hordes, supported by artillery.

All dervish assaults were repulsed however Eager, realising that his wounded were starting to outnumber his able bodied troops, decided to pull his force back from Dolligrip.    The dervishes let him go.

Ali Khemkeel, although his force had been severely mauled, had succeed in his goal.   The British were still none the wiser about the fate of the miners and the Dolligrip garrison.   But fate would soon intervene and the situation was about to take a dramatic turn...