Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-05
PecuIiaritles of the M hdi.

I
 Like his great predecessor, the Mahdi has | the power of attracting to his cause and l of keeping them stesdfast-a far more diff 1 icult task. He d0ss not cast men of who have served him. Among his most noted l friends and companions are the first disciples who gathered round him in the beginning of 1 his extraordinary career, snd the select body of fanatics who constantly attend him are ofi6ered chiefly by 2,OOO DongaIowi, mostly relatives and family connections of his own This circumstance no doubt tends to solidiEy the military organization which the Madhi must continue to rely, and makes him more independent than otherwise he might be of the some hat fickle allegiance of the Bedouip sbeiks. Four Caliphs form the supreme cabinet or council of State, as in the case of Mohammed. In order to make the resem- blance more striking, each of the new Caliphs has taken the name of one of the original four and modestly dropped his own. The new champion of Islam is fighting prophet; just the kind of man to appeal to the imagi- nations and win the affection of the wild men of the desert. He takes part in all the bat ties, and does not spare his own person. There is report current that in the fight with Hicks army the Madbi received a sword-cut across the forehead which divided the brass cap which h wears under his tur-
 
 time after the battle he did not appear in public-not even attending the customary public prayers on Friday. His ieutenants gave out that he had retired from the world to commune with Allah, but there is shrewd suspicion that his wound had to do more with his temporary retirement than had his prayers. If this story of the wound be well founded, and it is here generally believed, it would account for the extraordinary inaction of the Madhi's forces since the defeat of Gen. Hicks On the occasion of his public visits to the mosques Mohamned Ahmed rides beautiful Arab horse, and by his side hangs sword which is no idle ornament. His dress is caften similar in shape to that worn by otber Mohammedan priests. but 1t is varie- gated in color and richly ornamented. On his head is a brass cap covered by white turban, surmounted by plume of ostrich fe sthers. There is one characteristic of the new pro- phet which will secure him friends in Eng land. He is 8 total Rbstainer of the purest water. With the demon of drunkenness he wages fierce and relentless war. Compared to this Arab reformer even Sir Wilfrid Law son must be regarded ss @ reckless tippler. Not alone are wine and all sorts of spirituous liquors forbidden, but even the more harm less enjoyments of tobacco and cof- fee are anathema, and severe pen alties are inflicted on anyone discovered using the forbidden luxuries. Notwithstand- ing these severe ordinances, I fear it is certain
 
 in the use of araki and other soul destroying beverages for 1t came under my personal observation that large quantities of ardent spirits were forwarded within the past few weeks to be sold to rebels in exchange for their gums and feathers. However, in Obeid the public sale or use of these luxuries is strictly forbidden, and any infringement severly punished. The Mahdi's movement is in character distinctly puritanical. War Is waged against all the vices and eHemlnacles which distinguish the Turkish Pasha rule. Thus, the faithful must not wear red shoes,. nor clothe themselves in costly garments Nor are they permitted to sleep on rich car pets or other Turkish abominations, but must content with mats woven from the leaves of the palm when indulging in slumber. Any infringement of this rule leads to the confs oatio of the for bidden article of luxury and the punishment of the unfortunate sybarite. This rule is enforced with considerable rigor, as much, it is alleged, for the sake of plunder ss from religious motives, because the follow CTS of the Mshdi make no scruple of selling the confiscated articles in some distant town or village and pocketing the proceeds Of the aala