The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-25
FROM FOREIGN FIELDS.
WAR wAelNe IN WEST AFRICA.
One Hundred Thoushnd Men Ia ArmF,
Under Samdau, u Noted MOhame-
dan-Anti- herman Oemonstra-
tions In SpatR-The OIL
Vler Pain AFFAIR,
Africa.
A NEW MARDI,

A NEW MARDI
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24.--Secretary
OF State Bayard is in receipt Of a dis
patch from Sierra Leone, giving az
counts of tho movements Of sn army
of 100000 mon in the interior OF Africa.
The dispatch is sdated July IA, last, and
was sent by United States Consul
Lewis.
Mr.. Lewis says: al have tho honor
TO bring to tho notice Ofthe depart
ment of State the fact Of an
extraordinary movement among the
MOhammedans Of tho N6griitan, eX-
tondine from Timbuetoo to the wost
coast. II appears that IN 1850 q Man
dingo named Samdap, OF eNtraOIdt.
nary intelligence and energy, con-
ceiVCd the IDEA that he was called to
wage war FOR tho suppression Of pg-
ganism and the opening OF the roads Of
the coast, which, in certain districts,
have been for generations subjected to
excessive biaCNmail and TO the plum
dering Of vagabOnd tribes. During
the last five years h9 has col
lected an army consisting Of foot
and horse, of about 100 GOO
mon MohHmmedGn youth, wherever
ho goes, flock to hia standard, anxious
net only to secure the reward in the
hereafter, promised 10 those who fight
for their religion, but to carry on the
rich spoils OF tlmo which these eXpg-
di,ions that battle for the faith are
sure 10 win. 1t is said that SgmdaH's
army is divided into three portions.
Onais operating near tho headwaterso Of
the Niger. This portion recently drove
certain Freucl. troops from the gold
regions of Bourse, OF which they had
possession, and they are now be-
sieging Banks, a large town on
the Niger, occupied about three
years ago by the French, who
nave erected tOr,ilicatiOns there.
Another portion OF tho srmy iB oper-
ntiug in Liberia and supprossinR tho
troublesome elemonts, untettering the
trade, introducing Il know ladge
of religion, and in one sense opening
the wsy for negro emigrauts of intelli-
gence and energy from America TO
Dush out from tho AfricG-Amerlcau
republic to tho healthy and fertile
rep,ons Of tho interior. IN another
sense it ia forestaling the wholeregion
| for MohammJ dgnism, and gmaking 10
|
| desirable, 60 court this country with
faith imported from America by immi-
grants. The third army is approaching
the coast southwest of Sierra IROne. II
! has secured the submission by torcp,
or voluntary surrender, OF all ths
tribes on the way for 500 mlcs oark.
| The largest and most important Plyau
| kingdom on this side OF tho Niger
was Soolma, OF which Talabs, larger
commercial city, was the capital. For
the last 90 years tho ulEh MChammo.
dan. have boon trying by diplomacy
| to subdus this city 10 the faith, but it
has always successfully resisted h0th
diplomat aud warrior.
Last year Samdau's army, in over
whelmiug numbers, surrounded 1t and
called upon the king to surrender aud
| proi0ss Islam. This no refused 20 90.
| The town was then inyc csted, AUD altor
a terrible siege OF five months the king
| assembled tho rOyal family aud lrlu-
! Cipl0 chiefs IN his powder house and in
formed them he could not hold out
| any longer as his resources wore eX
haustcd, but having for mOr5 than 200
| yoaIs belonged 20 tho ruling element,
no was determined for himself and
family to die rather than como uudtr
MOhammedan rul0. lie gave the
chiefs thoir choice, either 20 die with
him or 70 out oftOwn and give them-
| selves up 90 the euOmy. They decided
so dio with HIN. He thOn ret fire 10
the powder and they were ali blown
| up. Thus ended tho SOulimG power,
which for moro than sOven generations
had Influenced the tradO and politics
OF extreme districts aud had com
msnded tho principal highways 10 the
coast.
Another very important achieve
ment Of this army 10 tho destruction
OF the Hoobo power, sn irresponsible
organization, which for 30 years has
been a source OF annoyance and loss 20
caravans passing from the interior "a
the coast. Samdan gave orders 10 Rt.
| tack them In their mountain atrong-
| holds, which, until then, had proved
| inaccessible to tho Surrounding force.
They we're surprised ana their chief,
| Abul, killed. His body was divided
lin pieces and Rant to various
countries whose Inhabitants had suit
ferod by his deprotory proceedings.
Tho HoObos arc described M renegadCs
in the rebellion against the king Of
| Umboo.
The roads have now been cleared
Of these thieves and murdereIs 80 that
an unprotected child or female may
travel ia safety all through that dis
trict. These operations will not bo
without salulary elloCt upon Ameri-
can commerce, for there Ia In shat
country an Increasing demand for
| American productions and many attl-
cles produced by the people arc
valuable in American trade. Samda'ns
army is now only few miles from tho
coast, northwest of Sierra Leone, 10 is
said 10 DO tholr purpose now % deal
with tho Tlmuch and Shorbco coun-
4 try, whose constant wars keep the
maritime regions In state OF ferment;
that after the caravens have struggled
through distractions for hundreds of
milos, they find their greatest dilllcul.
~ among tho coast tribes, after falling
] Viptllus IN tlA lattar