The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-23 00:00:00

THE MARDI AND HIS CAPTIVES.

Accounts received direct from El Obeid since Hicks
Pasha's disaster state that a detachment of cavalry,
consisting of 150 to 200 men, had been sent to Tekele
to claim reinforcements from th 3 loyal tribe there, and
on returning after the battle they were taken prisoners.
A journal kept in German, English, and Arabian was
found on the battle-field, anh deposited with the
missionaries at El Obeid. The Mandi got wind of its
existence, but, not being aole to ascertain in whose
possession it was, sent round a herald toaannounce
that it must bs given up at once. The missionaries
had no alternative but to hand it over to the
Mandi, who ordered it to be read out in public.
It contained a passage saying that the Egyptian
expedition had met a man sent out from Khartoum to
spassinate the Mandi for a bribe of five hundred
dollars. Since then the Mandi has been accompanied
by a life guard, and nobody is allowed to approach him.
Persons admitted to an audience are obliged to creep
on all fours, and are only permitted to advance within
a certain distance. Another interesting note in the
journal is that at Mikis a difference of opinion
occurred between the Commander in Chief and the
Governor General, which does not seem to have been
smoothed away. The 10,000 men sent to Darfur were
ordered to besiege the town, without giving battle, in
case the authorities relueed Submission. The legions of
the Mandi occupy the neighbourhood of El Obeid, over
a distance of two days' journey. During the two months
of Moharrem and Safr there was a suspension of
hostilities, but the prophet's birthday brought it to an
end. The Mandi's son was to have been circomcieed
on the occasion of the last Bairam feast, but his father
declared the ceremony should only be performed after
he had taken possession of the palace at Khartoum.
As regards the fate of the Christian missionaries,
during the first period of their captivity in El Obeid
they received hospitality from a foreign merchant,
but he was ruined. The missions were then reduced
to take up their quarters in straw huts outside the
town. They inc *ude six nuns, two priests, and a lay
brother. One priest and a lay brother have embraced
the Mussulman faith. The former is now known as
Sabakh-el-Cher, the latter as Faredjallah. They live
apart from their former companions, and receive seven
dollars a month each. The others are destitute. They
have neither food, clothing, nor money, not even pen
and paper, or needles and thread. While the siege
was going on, when food became scarce and the missions
could no longer provide for their numerous personnel, the
negro novices left them, and were partly incorporated
with the troops and partly sold. Those who remained
fell into the hands of the conqueror when the town was
taken. Not even a servant was left to the missions. The
church vestments were used as horsecloths, scimitar
pouches, &c. The house furniture was told, the
books and documents were burnt, the musical instru•
ments destroyed, and the building itself pulled down.
An application for the deliverance of the Christian
mission was addressed to the Mandi some time ago,
and he received it. He replied, but his answer did
not reach its destination. It was to the effect that
the roads were unsafe, that he would take care of the
missionarieft and that when he undertook his trium-
phal march to Mecca, he would take them with him
to Khartoum. The Mandi's uncle, Abd•el-Kader, is
kindly disposed towards the missionaries, and pays
them frequent visits; but they are in the power of
two evil-minded caliphs, Abdallahi and Ali Karar,
who represent the highest native nobility. The
Governor Mohammed Said Pacha, the Mudir All Bey
Scherif, and Tafallah Bey were hanged shortly after
being taken prisoners. When these tidings left El
Obeid, there was a sufficient supply of water and meat,
but grain was scarce and cost a dollar per rubs,.
These who had money could live. The d.sspatch from
El Obeid, whence the above facts are derived, enclosed
a letter, from which the following Is a quotation:
"For Cod's sake let it be known in Europe that if
the Powers cannot find a remedy for the present state
of things, and the rebellion is allowed to spread to
the sea, it will most assuredly reach Arabia, India,
Syria, Asia Minor, and South Africa. I tell you, in
all truth, it will be a second invasion of the Vandals,"