The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-12-08

Tile moSC vigorous espionage CID I'll ODeld
fail to be a flourishing slave mart and the
rendezvous of the various caravans, which
were obliged to sneak past Khartoum to
westward of the Nile. From the capital
of Kordofan to Khartoum troop of fleet
dromedaries could make the distance in
eight days, although the ordinary caravan
time is seventeen.
1t may be said that but one course re-
mains open to the Egyptian troops or
such of them as survive, and that is pre-
cipitate flight and an effort to escape into
Abyssinia. Unless a sufficient fighting
force remain to beat an orderly retreat to
khartoum and try to escape by way of
Suakin the command of Hicks Pacha is
in terrible plight. They are literally
surrounded by an exultant enemy on all
sides. He mistakes the Arab native who
supposes that this victory will not make
deep and lasting impression, one calcu-
lated to fire his war spirit and make him
take up the cry con to Cairo Among
nearly all of the tribes of the Egyptian
Soudan the law of blood-revenge-is ac-
knowledged, and it never dies and never
wavers from generation to generation.
And it is probable, too, as it has happened
before, that even the resident Egyptians
and Turks will join in the hurrah to save
their own lives and property.
Ell MAHDI.
Mohammed Ahmed, the False Prophet
OF the Soudan, was born at Dongala,
memorable as the place where Ismail
Pasha Saddyk, the Monfettish and late
finance minister of the ex-Khedive, was
put in sack along with some stones and
the sack being sewed up, was thrown into
the Nile. The Mahdi's father was named
Mohammed, and was carpenter. Young
Ahmed followed his fathers calling, and
became very skillful in the ant of boat
building. When his father died he went
to Senaar-to the southeast of Khartoum
he continued the carpenter bust
ness, but where he was so lucky, or per.
haps unlucky, as to cut off the ends of
the fingers of his left hand. This mishap,
ho~ever, proved to be the making of
young Ahmed, for he now fulfilled al,
conditions of the prophecy alluded to
elsewhere.
Ahmed knew how to read aud write
and possessed certain eloquence He
gave Up carpenterins and took to reading
the Koran in public p aces and haraneu.
ing the c"owd. He then Travelled all
about the country, makins stump
speeches On L. gious objects. The peu.
pie used to listen to him at first through
Soon he made himself respect
ed, and in few years he acquired an
enormous ascendency over his ignorant
followers, who had never before heard
such au orator. People used to come on
foot hundreds of mile to see him. The
Sheik travelled about like second Peter
the Hermit; but, unlike Peter, he gave
up to per. onsl ambition. There
was a constant rivalry among his hearers
as to who could lay before Sheik Ahmed
the richest Offering. The prudent oheik
stored up these presents, and having be-
come wealthy he set himself up as a
prophet. The motto which he adopted
was, THE whole world shall follow me
and obey me-" Endowed with no ordi-
nary imagination, he uttered certain pre-
dictions, to which his credulous but al
ready submissive disciples attached i'm
plicit faith. According to one of his
on November IL, the first day
of the new Mussulman century,, 800
after the Hegira-he himself was to be
proclaimed, at Khartoum, prophet and
ruler of the Soudan. Having convinced
his followers that he was in direct COM
munication with the Almighty, he used,
while addressing them, suddenly to be-
come silent, and, closing his eyes, to re-
main motionless for several minutes. He
carried his trick to such perfection that
not the slightest movement was percep-
tible while he simulated coma after which
he appeared to recover from a state of
profound lethargy cas-, wondering glances
around him, and exclaimed, with an air
Of conviction: 81 come from Paradise,
where have been with Allah and His
Prophet. How wonld like to tell you
of all | saw and heard, but you would
not be able to understand It," His fol.
lowers became so devoted to him that at
signal from him they were ready to
sacrifice their lives. At last the Mahd
annouced that Allah had definitely chosen
him to be His prophet, which caused such
enthusiasm among his adherents that he
seized the opportunity to surround him
self by kind of court. The expense in
cident thereupon was readily betrayed
by his partisans. 1t was then that Reu
Pasha, at the time Governor of the Sou
dan, determined to arrest the Mahdi anC
put an end to his proceedings. At frs
an attempt was made TO disarm him by
persuasion, but afterward 200 men wer,
sent to take him prisoner. The Maid
had, however, already large number O
followers, and the small detachment O
troops was ANONYMOUSLY put to right
That was the beginning of the revolt il
the Soudan.
ODONoyAN's LAST LETTER.
The London Daily Neacs published thu
following account from Mr.. O'Donovan
its special correspondent with the expe
dition and for whose safety great fear
are entertained:
"Intrenched Camp, Thirty Miles South
west Duem, September, 80. via Khar
toum-Before leaving Khartoum it wa
decided to establish line of fortified
posts in order to maintain communica
ton with our base on the Nile. In con
sequence of the Governor. Generals 10
port of the number of Arab tribes which
return on our line of march after W,
pass and the difficulty of inducing
small bodies of troops to escort store
between the posts, this plan has beef
abandoned. Consequently the army il
cut off from its base of operations ant
must depend for sixty days on biscuit
and what can be captured hereafter.
"The army is advancing as rapidly a
possible to Obeid in order to press on
decisive action, on which everything de
ponds.
''The heat is intense. The camels arr