News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-04-03
LIFE In THE SOUDAN.
WHAT A VISITOR SAW In OsMAN
DIGNA'S CAMP.
A Fortnight's SOiOurn at the Headquarters
of the Egyptian Rebel.

A Fortnight's SOiOurn at the Headquarters
of the Egyptian Rebel.
Mr.. Levi, an Austrian merchant, who
was recently imprisoned in Osman
| Digna's camp, has given an account of
his experiences there.
After having provided myself with a
camel and some presents for Osman
Digna, a few provisions, dresses and a
revolver, one morning at half past six [
left Suakim en- route to some hills north
ward of Tamaneb Gin which place 7
knew the rebels quarters were), expect
ing to meet at those hills parties of
rebels who would carry to Osman Digna
the news of my coming, and by their so
doing I could enter his camp with
greater safety. Having dismounted, I
had some lunch, and had just finished
it when I sighted man on hill at a
short distance. I attracted his atten-
ton, but he ran away and came back
some time after with some more men. I
went to meet them, showing my flag and
calling out that [ was messenger and
friend of Osman. One of the men
turned out to be the Sheik of Amarar,
and partisan of the rebels. After hav-
ing read my letter he assured me I was
all right and said he would conduct me
to Osman Digna.
''I was visited by the Cadi of Suakim
(who had fled from the town the previ-
GUS day., who had been friend of mine,
and he told me he was sorry to see me
there; he also said that if I would not
become Mussulman I should without
doubt be killed. I agreed to become
one, and was obliged to wear the native
dress, consisting of drawers, vest and
Arab 'gallabich' or smock-frock and
slippers. / then was deprived of my
firearms and brought to Osman Digna
found him among circle of Arabs sit
ting on the ground. He wore only
very dirty sheet and straw cap. He
appeared to me to be very common
sort of man-in fact, the least distin-
guished looking of the group. I gave
him the usual salaams, and then told
him I wanted permission to remain in
camp and live with his men, as had my
friend there. He told me he would be
very glad to have me with him, and that
as I had become Mussulman [ need
entertain no fears for my life.
81 was told by the rebels that they
were not at present thinking of the
wrongs they had undergone, but that
they were certain that the real Mahdi
had come, who would overthrow all ma
tions, destroy all his enemies and then
rule the world according to his own ideas.
They said, moreover, that the men who
are fighting under Osman Digna are not
afraid of rifles, cannons or anything that
could be used against them; that they
have power to capture all guns in per-
feet certainty, and that if they die in
such holy cause they will enjoy them
selves forever in Paradise; that their
swords and spears would destroy Sinkat
and Tokar, and after the fall of these
two forts all the people who now besiege
them would together fall on Suakim, en-
camping by its wells, and, taking the
town, they would not leave stone upon
stone in it; that they intended to go to
Jeddah and Mecca, take possession of
Egypt, kill the Sultan of Stamboul and
all the Englishmen and Christians, and
then find themselves free to cope with
the Abyssinians.
"They told me that at present people
who own cattle, grain and money give
up part voluntarily to OSman Digna, in
order to supply the poor who wanted
food; that Osman might have any
amount of property, but did not want
any. They had treasure places where
they put all sorts Of valuable things.
People who wanted to join them would
all be we'll received and plenty of food
found for them. The grand word was
allah liza illala, Mohammed rasul ALA,
that is, There is no other God but God,
and Mohammed is his prophet On
my remark that all Mohammedans in
Suakim and elsewhere say so, [ was an
swered that they lie in their hearts.
Having heard all this and seeing all my
remarks useless, we parted that day
Next morning at eight l was brought to
a field where every morning at that
hour Osman Digna collects all his men,
and, sitting in the middle of them, reads
books about the Mahdi and the letters
he pretends to receive from him, in
which the Mahdi tells him all sorts of
startling news to excite his people.
After the reading, when Osman had
left, I was greatly abused by the crowd,
and had to undergo very bad quarter
of an hour.
"The encampment of Digna is stu
foot of which the water of Tamaneb is
to be found, on small fields between the
first and second range, and so is rather
narrow and long. Each tribe has its
own huts, and between them piece of
ground regarded as sacred, because the
people pray on it five times day. The
huts are made of few bushes and
grass, sheltering the occupants very lit
tie from the air and cold. Many people
are badly clothed, and are affected by
coughs. l met many boys carrying
spears and bayonets, as well as old men
who could help themselves very little,
but yet who were going to fight. Their
women and children are in homes up
country, and only a few-most of them
slave girls-were here to grind the
grain. 1 was at Osman Digna's camp
sixteen days, and during this time l was
not allowed to see the chief any more.
l made the following remarks, viz.
That the Arabs at the camp were ami
mated by very strong religious ex-
and were most of them Haden-
dowas, except some few. Many of them
used to stitch to their clothes, in fancy
designs, any sort of colors they could
get; others only small piece of red
cloth. They are led mostly by Suakim
people. Besides reading in the morn
ing, Osman Digna reads to them during
other parts of the day books about the
Mahdi, with comments, to excl tie their
minds"
Judge ON a TreadmiU