the italians paused at hargeisa for two days to reorganise and then resumed the advance through the karrim pass toward the tug argan, in the assa hills. aosta urged haste but nasi refused to rush, because the road was deteriorating under the heavy traffic and rain. the italian advance resumed on 8 august and for two days closed up to the british defences and made preparations to attack. the defenders reported the presence of italian medium tanks and the captain of donated the ship's [[qf 3-pounder hotchkiss]] saluting gun, a three-man crew and thirty rounds of ammunition. in the north, the bertoldi column captured [[zeila]], about north-west of berbera, cutting communications between the two somalilands and then began a slow advance south-east along the coast road, under intermittent air attack from aden and bombardment from the sea, pushing back the scc rearguards as far as the village of [[bulhar]] by 17 august.