Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-25
The Nile and the Seudan.

To fully understand the situation in
Egypt, one has to look beyond the map
of Egypt proper. The government Of
the late khedive placed the territory of
Egypt and its dependent provinces at
], 100000 square miles, with a popula-
ton of 1900, 900. The area of Egypt
proper, however, could hardly b, con-
sidered to extend above the second cata-
ract of the Nile, embracing 10000
square miles, with a population of s.
500,0 600. This limit would be some 800
miles below Khartoum, at the junction
of the White and Blue Nile, which the
late government made the headquarters
of its operations IN Soudan. So far as
this, and even to Ell Obeid, 200 miles to
the southwest, the authority of the khe-
dive was generally respected, and was
at least Of much more potency than that
of the native chiefs.
But the whole territory of the Soudan
extends from Abyssinia on the east to
Senegambia on the west, or pretty
nearly from the Gulf of Alden on the
Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. The ter
ritory thus designated, reaching from
about the tenth to the eighteenth de-
gree north latitude, and covering some
1900 miles from east to west. has a
population, according to Benin and
Wagner, the German g~eographers, ex-
ceeding 49, 900, 600. For about one-half
the population of this belt of fertile
country &C oss the African continent,
just south OF the Sahara desert, the
Niger and it's branches afford means of
communication, and the Atlantic Coast
fro dino noSfS in Coooro ~, III, o,I C,;;ro,
the natural channel for trade with the
rest of the world. For the other por-
ton, or for population estimated at
8 $4,000, 900, independent of that OF Egypt
proper, the only trading heretofore
done with the world has been through
the Nile Valley or the Red Sea ports.
Work is hardly necessary to live in this
region, very little animal food being
used, and a Jew farinaceous articles be-
ing raised almost without attention.
They export ostrich feathers. elephants
tusks. SIENNA. gum arabic, and q few
spices, with the proceeds of which they
purchase coffee: tobacco, cotton cloth,
firearms, and knick-knacks.
The trade, and in fact the govern
ment of such portion of the Soudan as
Egypt ever claimed has been done
principally through the sheiks and the
petty chiefs they controlled, but the
main item Of profit in the business, for
the Government and the sheiks alike,
was in the marketing of slaves from
this Soudan region.
When the English and French as
sumed the Joint control, and cut OIL or
largely reduced the profits from this
business, they started the general feel
ing of discomfort Of which Arab and
FL Mahdi were only the opponents. Ell
Mahdl Cor Ell Muhdi, as he should be
called, to give him his 1000 year old
authority as the deliverer of the Mus
selman world) represents the tribal in
terests of this Soudan population in
two strong points-first, as the oppo-
men. OF interference with a trade in
which their leaders have found almost
all their profit !; and, second, as himself
the representative of the promised Mo-
hammedan supremacy and triumph in
the world. 1t is perhaps. now, the in
detinable and %incalcuiable force their
peculiar fanaticism may assume which
presents tile only uncertain quantities
that have to be dealt with. The coun-
try IS one of the most fertile in the
world. and almost as thickly populated
as any portion Of India, but the natives
are ctfeminate and ignoran to the last
degree they are. however, substan-
TALLY governed by Arab chiefs. who
Keep up constant intercourse with the
Mohammedans Of Turkey, Arabia and
India, and are making strenuous exer-
lions to enlist them all in Il crusade for
''the Faithful, Scientific american.