Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-03

How the slahdi Began His War
on she Egyptian GOvernment.

How the Mahdi Began His War
ON She Egyptian Government
Five years ago the Arab Chief now
known as FL Mahdi, who was petty
Prince Of one Of the tribes below kor-
dotan, withdrew himself from his fol-
lowers and became a hermit, thus
seeking to involve his very existence
in mystery. This proceeding at once
increased his fame. From Zaonia TO
IAouiA Of the Senoussia. and eonse-
queatly from Mecca to Morocco, the
attention OF the faithful was assidn'
ously called to the following proph-
coy:
"0n the LIST of the mouth OF MOhar-
rem, in the year 1900 November II,
1881, will appear FL Mahdi or Mes
siah. He will be exactly forty years
Of age, and Of noble bearing. One arm |
will be longer than the other. His.
fathers name will be MOhammed and
his mothers name Fatims, aud he will [
be hidden for time prior to his mani
festatiOn."
Ell Mahdi's father was the founder
of sect OF semi-religious iraternitles
which seem destined to cover the
whole OF North Africa with web OF
Moslem Freemasonry. His name was
Mohammed, and persons who have
seen the younger remember that his
right hand reached as far as his knee,
thus fulfilling all the requirements OF
the prophecy. ElMahdi came forth from
his retirement aud stationed himselfon
the Island of Abba il the White Nile.
He absolved his followers from all
allegiance to earthly pOteniates and
announced himself as the successor OF
Mohammed. This involved their re-
fusal to pay tribute.
THE REBELLION
The first active rebellion broke out
on the 18th Of August, 1881, at the
Island of Abba. On this occasion,
thanks to the incredible stupidity Of
the officer in commsnd, the Egyptian
troops who were sent to arrest the
Mahdi not only failed in their object,
but lost 100 men After this the
Mahdi left his home on the Island Of
Abb. and crossed the White Nile
into Kordofan. During the next t n
1 months repeated attempts we're made
to arrest the False Prophet, but, ow-
ing 10 bad MANAGEMENT and the en-
ployment Of insufficient forces, always
with the same result, complete failure.
During this time the Egyptians have
lost at one place or another 1900 men
and an equal number OF rifles. Find
ing that the insurreetion WAS spread
| ing rapidly it was at length judged
necessary to make a serious effort.
Accordingly, in the beginning OF June
| 1882, Yusef Pasha left Fashoda at the
head Of 400 men, with four mountain
guns and a rocket, for Ghebel Gadir,
where Mohammed Achmet was then
residing. On the way he met the
rebels, and, thanks TO bis neglect Of
the most elementary rules Of warfare,
he was completely defeated, with the
loss Of 5000 men and all bis guns. VI
the 800 men who escaped at the time
the greater part were subsequently
captured and sold into slavery. City
after city capitulated to the False
Prophet, the greatest of his successes
being the capture Of I'll Obeid.
CAUSES OF THE Discomfort,
When III Mahdi, the FalsePrOphet
appeared in the Soudsn, announcing
: his divine mission after the fashion o
. Mohammed, travellers 10 that coUutr.
we're a unit in expressing the belle
! that the Egyptian campaign OF 81
/ Garnet Wolseley would be child's pla,
compared with the religious uprisinI
in the valley Of the White Nile. Th
: reasons for this belief were very sim
pie, and they have been justified b.
' the overwhelming defeat Of Hick
: Pssha The disafection aud restless
!. ness among the Arab tribes date baol
4 many year,, and may be said to hav
begun when Khartoum was fouudel
\ by Mohammed Ali as a military post
and, being at the confueLce Of th
!. Blue and White Niles, was strategi
q point commanding the water course
! to. Central Africa This city, tn
4 largest in Northern Central Africa
: contains a mixed population of O,00C
/, embracing as goddess set Of rufian
: Of sll shades Of color, moral and phys
. ioll, as were ever brought together
d TIE CAPITAL OF THE SLAVE TBADI
Khartoum became not only the cap
ital of the slave trade with all Of il
! numberless horrors but was also th
y penal colony where mugderers, high
3 WaymeD and every species Of seoun
e drel-Tarkish, Frank, Egyptian, Ara
s and natiYe--weTe permitted TO rosI
e at will, and often obtain high place
the government employ. Khartoul
y became the seat Of central authOrit
y Of all that region between Berber an
! the Equstorial lakes, with indefuii
d boundaries on the west and sOuil
o This whole tract was divided into mir
e provinces, with a separateGovernOr f
!" each province, these various territoril
" divisions having the supreme hea
i in the GOyernorGeneral at Khartoun
e 4 post second only in authority an
emoluments 10 that Of the Khediy
y himself. IL is this official, Representa-
ls 10 the various persons holding II
e place, who is more 10 blame for Il
e present state Of affairs 10 the SCUBA
: than can be assigned TO any 9TH
e source.
y THE FIELD OF OPERATIONS.
J The region now in successful rebe
. lion, aud which is admirably shown {
! the accompanying map, extends fro
! the frst cataract of the Nile, in abor
: latitude IS degrees, to the Equato
T. This whole region OF Northern az
Eastern Africa, with the exception
Z AbyssiBis, is nothing but desert, u
: broken by mountain ranges, althoul
y there are lofty hills on the cam
= route from Berber to Suakin. III
! only civilization is found on the BAN
! Of the Main Nile, the Blue and Viii
2 Nils and Atbora, all making up Il
. grand Nile system. The general ell
4 gaiion Of this region along the valll
OF the White Nile is about 1900 fe
above the sea. As in Lower Egyl
.e cultivation is controlled during Il
dry season b." shadois' aud "sikeahs
= which are cODtrivances operated
Z, man and cattle power for raising wat