Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-08-21
THE FALsE
Something About MahOmet Aeh'
met, the Real Ruler Of the
SOudau.

Mahomet Achmet, the false prophet
of the Soudan, the expected ally OF
Arab, is a very important parsonage
among the Arabs of North Africa.
Achmet is at the head Of a revolution
against tie Egyptian authorities,
which, though small in its beginnings,
has reached formidable proportions.
He is the product of intense religious
fanaticism and bad government. The
Soudan, as we'll as the rest of Egypt,
has suffered from the expressions Of
the government in the collection of
taxes by agents. The taxes them
selves are onerous enough, but the
agents often double and treble them,
and put the excess in their own pock-
cts. This oppression begOt a spirit of
general discomfort among the Arabs,
and all that was wanted was a leader
with the courage to maintain himself
against the government. That mar
has been found in the false prophet.
Mahomet Achmet was born in the
region of DoDgola, on the western
bank of the Nile, where it makes its
great bend. He was a poor man, a
carpenter and boat builder by trade.
He first came into uotoriety on the
large island of Abbas, situated about
200 miles south Of Khartoum. Here,
after the fashion of the takirs and
holy men, he withdrew from society
and devoted himself to prayer and
meditation. He soon had a large fol
lowing, and proclaimed himself the
Mundi, or successor of the Great
Prophet, the expected teacher and
savior Of the people. This claim was
suggested by the general belief exist
ing among the Moslems that toward
the end OF the world a successor and
expouuder Of the prophet, and a
fuller revealer OF the will OF God,
was to appear. This belief is founded
on the various passages and intima.
lions in the Koran, like the following.
Say unto those of Mecca: This ii
my way; | invite you unto God by an
evident demonstration; both | anG
he who followeth me-" The popular
superstition prescribes certain signs
and evidence by which this prophet
ia to be identified, some OF which
Mahomet Aehmei is said to have
shown. while he has failed in others
Several such pretenders have already
appeared, one in the vicinity Of Tuuis
another ia Southern Arabia, but nont
of them have succeeded like Achmet.
When he raised the standard he
wrote letters all over the country,
announcing himself and his mission
While many of the more intelligent
moslems repudiate him, others, moved
both by religious and political mo.
lives, and who above all, hoped tina
he would show them some way t
escape the payment Of their taxes
hocked to his standard. He started
with a very small following, but hi
success in resisting tie attempts of tn,
Egyptian government to hunt bin
down, attracted large numbers to hi
ranks. Three times forces have beel
s-nt against him, and each time he haI
achieved great victories. The las
army Of $500 men from Cairo, whicl
attacked him some two months ago, b
almost utterly annihilated. He nov
has 3 force of 10000 men, and man
ianatiOal Arabs join him every day
His men are mostly armed with spears
but what they lack in arms and discit
line is made up in fanatical zeal. mi
! army Of rowing Arabs, used to III
hardships OF the desert, will make a
important acquisition to Arab
forces, should they ever form a Juno
ton, of which there can now be littl
, doubt.