Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-28
THE FALSE PROPHETS ADVANCE.
Tho Complications Of the Trouble II
Egypt.

From the N. Y. Heraldl
The Soudan prophet who, acting as an
ally Of Arab, has produced such conster-
nation among the Mohamnedans, has ar.
rived in Nubia, Upper Egypt, not far to
southwark of Thebes, where 1000 years ago,
the historian tells us, the Nile was bridged
from shore to shore, and 100000 people
were worshippers 10 the temple of Boolak
The ease with which this prophet has beer
able to effect the virtual conquest Of tho
Soudan, with its 80, 100000 of SOULS is no,
surprising when the isolation of that Contra
African region from the parent government
at Cairo is considered. Ismal Pacha, WHO
with all his faults, was a shrewd sovereign
used 10 say, when he was told Of any monu
meutal piece of rascality in the Soudar
provinces. "What eau do! My upper
territory is distant from the capitol a month
by the swifles means of transit, and any
governor general may appoint soon as
sumcs the prcrogatives of king, aud tho
Soudan is thus virtually independent" Few
Of the Khedve's leutanants at Khaitoum
the real capitol Of Central Airica-if Sii
Samuel Baker and Colonel Gordon be ex
| CtDttu, nave luu ully OtutI CdItcIs t1uU
of robbers Of the treasury, oppressors of the
people and active promoters of the slave
trade and all local schemes CT conquest. The
Arab tribes, whose members are direct and
iinalloyed descendants OF the best blood OF
Arabia, where the standard Of Moslem hon
or and personal purity is the highest in the
Mohammedan world, have been many time,
within the past fifteen years upon the verge
of revolt against the Egyptian rule because
of its corrupt and ruthless character. Or
one occasion during the reign of Moontar7
Pucha at khartoum-an official who con
stantly proclaimed himself as a disciple OF
| Noltaire-hc was visited by u body Of de-
vout and honorable shciks from the sur
rounding tribes, and they protes ed will
elaborate solemnity against his sacrilege
Ills reply was, ordering them from thu
divan, 81 will shoot your relgion!" 1t wa
moi long after that Moontarz died suddenly
it is supposed from dose of powdered
glass, which the expert Oriental can will
so little difficulty introduce into the little cuI
OF black coffee so often during the day a
tender OF courtesy.
the Soudan, served only to deepen the ia
naticism OF the populations along the blu
and white Miles, where there is little in
dustry beyond the gymnastics Of prayer
Thus is revealed how easy task it has beef
for El Mehdi to rouse the PEOPLE to oppo
sitiOn, to organize II crusade after the tr,i
method Of the original Mohammcd, and witt
the crescent 10 the fore enlist the hundred
OF thousands Of well-moun,ed and PHYSICAL
wcll-formcd Arabs, WHOSE habitations whe
stationary are in the fertile Gases lying be
tween the main stream and the Red Sea
Nor is this all. The annexation of Kordofa
and Darfour brought hardy warriors read
to be moved by an eloquent sheik with flow
ing beard and magnetic person such u
this new chieftain seems to be. They ar
many times superior to the troops of lowe
Egypt. On every occasion of revolt til
Central African Arabs and the negro race
annexed by conquest have shown their ute
Indifference to their adversares from til
delta region. The mixed races Of the Sou
dan, too. are also deeply imbued with tn
spirit of religious fervor-those inhabitant
mothers. Some of these bastard races ar
as fine specimens of physique as can b
found fundamentally the DongoloweC
who come from the Great Bend of the MI,
and are employ by the slave traders a
soldiers on their expeditions tor "blac
ivory into the interior. Their averag
height is over six feet They are fearles
in the water among crocodiles and in tn
jungle among beasts of prey; they ca
handle the elephant gun and the spear an
understand the art of strangliug. This rae
some years ago endeavored to establish a
independent kingdom but, after the usu,
Egyptian fashion, their chiefs were invite
10 grand and friendly banquet at the GOV
eminent house, and during the height {
festivities were suddenly massacred b
troops in ambush.
With recruits like these different races
the Soudan-haviug the blood Of the negro
the Saracen, the Turk and the Egyptian, an
fired by the Moslem enthusiasm-El Meht
has had no difficulty in arousing populG
uprising along the line of march, which Ia
brought him 500 miles to the northward {
Khartoum and within 1000 miles Of Cair,
AS it is now high Nile where he and hi
followers now arc-that is, near the Fir'
Ca'aract-thc journey down the river ca
scarcely be any considerable effort, as I'll
, velocity of the stream is three miles an hou
There are always at this point of the riv,
many transports luggers and small fc,
: OF steamers His other means of transpo
taton for his horde consist Of the man
thousands of camels and dromcdarics whic
can be driven in from the desert, both
baggage convoys and to mount the nvadir
force. Passing through Subia the proph,
will find wretched country, peopled b
I wretched natives, for whom lbrahim Pacl
, found no better use on his pleasure journey
on the Nile than to make them the target
his fire, in order to test the accuracy of
9 aim with weapons presented to him by Il
sovGrcigns of Europe. From the frontier
Nubia, moving down the Nile, the invade
will find abundant food, abundant forage +
!, their camels, and, of course, no lack
!, !, water. But the fellaheen who may 10
!" them will be scarcely desirable allies,
they are unarmed and unaccustomcd
C weapons more dangerous than the shepherd
o crook. 1t has always been the policy of Il
Q Egyptian government to prevent the guilty
}, tors of the soil from having arms. The for
Is on its journey to Cairo will pass over ferli
l. and highly cultivated estates, through sug
II and corn plantations, by thick settlement,
G and will, indeed, be . novelty 10 the peopl
l. Not since the days of Ethiopian proves
O ancient times has there been such barbar
o incursion. What its effect may be VIII,
G arriving at Cairo can not be foreshadowe
n but one fact y certain, there is no host
l. power that can now be marshalled in Egy
0 to stay the inflow of the prophet and /
8 followers. Three weeks hence and he C,
d plant his ensign on the citadel of Cairo, VIII
:. the world will eagerly watch the result
c this strange crusade.
q The Montreal Charlie Ross Case.
J. The persons who stole little Arthur Smi
| 4 I NJ