Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-01-03
Ml HERALD.
sl mAnol.
Life ske tch Of a Most Remark.
able Man.

able Man.
he following sketch OF the life
he Mahdi, or False Prophet,
AIKEN from the report Of Lieu.
ant Colonel Stewart TO the
litsh Foreign Office, published
ently as a Parliamentary:
4bomet Achmet, the Mahdi,
Dongolawi, or native OF the
bvince Of Dongola. His grand
|thes was called Fahil, and
7sd = the Island OF Naft Arti
,rti pngolawi for "island'') !.
his land lies east Of and op-
site 70 Ordia, the native name
he capital OF Dongola. His
: was Abdullah, by trade a
inter. In 1852 this man left
vent to Shindi, q town on
Hile south Of Berber. At that
Fme family consisted OF three
Pns d one daughter, called
ksp( Fely Mohammed, Hamid !,
~ Iet Achmedt (ths Mahdi
ID l1r-el.S Sham Light OF SYRIA.
ohindi another son was born,
I'D Abdullah. As q boy, Ma
bet Achmedt was apprsnticed
3herif- ed Deem, his uncle, q
tman, residing ut Shakabeh,
Hand Opposite Ssnaar. Hav-
0ne day received a beating
his uncle, he ran away to
ftoups and joined the free
ool e "Medressu' OF a faki
Mrned man, head OF u sect Of
Hvl6h>s) who resided at Hog
1 viIisge east of and close to
artoum. This school is attach
10 the tomb Of Sheikh Hog
the patron saint Of Khar-
q, and who is greatly revered
the inhabitants Of that town
district. The Sheikh OF this
hb OF shrine, although he keeps
lee school and feeds the poor,
ives o very handsome revenue
: the gifts Of the pious. He
ms to be q descendent OF the
lnal Hoghali. and through him
Aahomet. Here he remained
ometime studying religion,
4enets OF this Sheikh, ETC.,
t did not make much more
Pgress In the more worldly ac-
pplishments OF reading and
ting. After a time he left and
pt 70 Berber, where he joined
ther free school kept BY q
ikh Ghubush, at q village OF
name, nearly opposite to man.
led to Makhsrref (Berber). The
Fhool is also attached to shrine
realty vene rated by the natives.
iere Mahomet Achmet remained
X months completing his relig-
Pus education. Thence he went
} Arsdup (Tamarind Tree)
wage, south of Kama. Here in
o he became o disciple OF an
ler faki--Sheikh Nur-el-Daim
Continuous Light. Nur-el-
)sim subsequently ordained him
heikh or Faki, and he then left
!, take up his home in The island
I Abba, near Kama, on the
White Mic. Here he began by
lAking q subterranean excava
|bn { (Khaliva va-retreat) into which
. made q practice OF retiring to
speat for hours one Of the
smes Of the Deity, and this, ac-
onpanied by fasting, incense.
urning. and prayers. His fame
nd sanctity by degrees spread
Ar and wide, and Mahomet Ach-
net became wealthy, collected
aud married several
vives, all of whom he was care
ul to select from among the
daughters Of the most influential
saggara Sheikhs (Baggars-tribes
'wning cattle and horses) and
'ther notables. To keep within
be legalized number -four, be
vss in the habit of divorcing the
urplus and taking them on again
|pcording to his fancy. About
1e end Of May, 1881, be began
twrite to his brother fakis IRE
igious chiefs), and to teach that
le was foretold by ,Mabomet and
hat he had a divine mission TO
eform Islam, to establish q uni
'ersal equality, a universal law,
universal religion, and com.
aunity Of goods (''beyt-ul-maP); !;
lso that all who did not believe
n him should be destroyed, be
hey Christian, Mohammedan, or
'egan. Among others, be wrote
o Mahomet Saleh, very learned
md influential Faki Of Dongola,
him 10 collect his der
ishes (followers) aud friends and
DIN him at Abba. This Sheikh
instead Of complying with his re-
quest, informed the Government,
declaring the man must be mad.
This information, along with that
collected from other quarters.
Nrmed his Excellency Reouf
ha, and the result was the ex-
ZION. Of August 8, 1881. In
the Mahdi is tall, slim,
black beard and light
complication. Like most
nwis, he reads and writes
iffculty. He is local head
Gheelan or Cadridge order
rvishes, a school originated
Abdul Kader-el- -Ghulami,
3 tomb is, / believe, at Bug
Judging from his conduct
Eairs and policy. l should say
ID considerable natural abil