Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-27
THE PROPHET OF THE soUDAN.

THE PROPHET OF THE sOUDAN.
 Those interested in the Egyptian problem
 are wondering how Mohammed Achmet, the
 False Prophet of the Soudan, will figure in
 it. The story of Achmet's career is 8 strange
 one and is told in the Christioas Union by
 Rev. Henry M. Ladd, of Danbury, who has
 lately returned from the Soudan, having
 narrowly escaped with his life the fanatioal zeal of the Prophets followers
 All good Mohammedans have looked for ward to the coming of successor to Mo- hammed, who shall reestablish the faith with renewed power and splendor. All the signs of the times, according to Moslem prophecy, point to the present as the time for this suc-
 cessor to appear. and Mohammed Achmet
 answers to the description of the prophecies well enough. He was carpenter and boat
 builder of the upper Nile, and when he be- came ready to be the successor of Mohammed he left his work, and retired to the wilder l ness for prayer and meditation. When he game forth he announced his mission, and
 succeeded in impressing many with it's reali- ty. He drew thousands to his standard, he
 has been victorious in every battle, so far, and Dr. Ladd thinks that the vast region of
 the Soudan which Egypt had slowly acquired,
 but never really governed, is now lost to that
 country.
 When Mohammed Achmet first started out
 to give to Mohammedanism renewed power
 and splendor he not considered of much
 importance by the Egyptian authorities, but
 they soon became convinced that he was
 in earnest and sent ''armv'' to subjugate
 him. The material of which this army was composed is thus described by Dr. Ladd: On our return to Khartoum we learned that Roaur Pasha had been recalled, a new method of governing the Soudan from Cairo instituted, and that Giegler Pasha had been authorized to proceed with more vigorous ! measures against the rebels While we were there an army of some 3,5OO men were gath cred and sent forward under Yousef Pasha We saw them drilling. after 8 fashion, nearly | every day. Some of them received their pay | in our yard We had good opportunity to | study their makeup From the first theyha but little hope of success. About one hun dred deserted just before the departure None ! of them had the first idea of discipline, few ! of them had ev fired off their guns, and one ! thousand and five hundred of them were raw
 recruits who did not know which was the l dangerous end of their rifles. One man was | asked how he would fire if he met the enemy, ! and he held his gun out behind his back and ! said, So" Another was asked if he had bull ! let's enough, and replied that ho thought his gun could hold few more. The government ! throughout under estimated the earnestness and strength of the rebels. At this time they
 probably numbered 10000 men.
 It is not surprising that Mohammed Achmet and his fanatic followers could defeat such armies as this. At last accounts Khartoum, the capital of Soudan, and 8 city of 40, 900 people, at his mercy, and it is supposed | that the Europeans who resolved to remain
 there and defend themselves have been mas- l sacred.
 l The Prophet is not known to have any connection with Arabi Boy, but it is feared
 that the two forces may unite. If they do
 and the British troops get fair chance at
 them, both the Prophet and Arabi will prob-
 ably lose some of their confidence in them \