News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-09-17

Secretary of State Bayard has re-
ceived dispatch from Consul Lewis at
Sierra Leone, dated July IA, giving ac-
counts of the movements of an army of
100, 900 men in Africa. Mr.. Lewis
says:
81 have the honor to bring to the
notice of the Department of State the
fact of an extraordinary movement
among the Mohammedans of the Nigri-
tian regions extending from 1imbuctoo
to the west coast. 1t appears that in
1880 Mandingo named Samuda, of ex-
traordlnary intelligence and energy, con-
ceived the idea that he was called of God
to wage war for the suppression of pa
ganism and the opening of the roads to
the coast, which in certain districts have
been for generations subjected to Excess
sive blackmail and to the plundering of
vagabond tribes. During the last five
years he has collected an army, consist
ing of foot and horse of about 100, 900
men. Mohammedan youth, wherever he
goes, flock to his standard, anxious not
only to secure the reward in the here
after promised to those who fight for
their religion, but to carry off the rich
spoils, which these expeditions which
battle for the faith are sure to win.
SIT is said that Samudu's army is di-
vided into three portions. One is oper-
ating near the head waters of the Niger.
This portion recently drove certain
French troops from the gold regions of
Boure, of which they had taken posses
sion, and are now besieging Bammaks,
large town on the Niger, occupied
about three years ago by the French,
who have erected Notifications there.
Another portion of the army is oper-
ating in the regions east of Liberia, and
the third portion is approaching the
coast a few miles northwest of Sierra
Leone. This latter portion has secured
the submission by force or voluntary
surrender of all the tribes on the way for
500 miles back.
''The largest and most important
pagan kingdom this side of the Niger
was Soolima, of which Talabia, large
commercial city was the capital. For
the last sixty years the Fulah Mohamme-
dams have been trying by diplomacy and
by arms to subdue this city to the faith,
but it has always successfully resisted
both diplomat and warrior. Last year
Samuda's army, in overwhelming num-
bers surrounded it and called upon the
King to surrender and profess Islam.
This he refused to do The town was
then invested, and, after terrible siege
of five months, the King assembled the
royal family and principal chiefs in his
powder house and informed them that
he could hold out no longer, as his re-
sources were exhausted; but having for
more than two hundred years belonged
to the ruling element, he was deter
mined for himself and family to die
rather than come under Mohammedan
rule. He gave the chiefs their choice
either to die with him or go out of the
town and give themselves up to the
enemy. They decided to die with him.
He then set fire to the powder, and they
were all blown up. Thus ended the
Soolima power, which for more than
seven generations had influenced the
trade and politics of extensive districts,
and had commanded the principal high
ways to the coast.
Another very important achievement
of this army is the destruction of the
Hooboo power-an irresponsible organ
ization which for thirty years has been a
source of annoyance and loss to the cara
vans passing from the interior to the
coast. Samudu gave orders to attack
them in their mountain strongholds,
which until then had proved inacces-
sible to the neighboring forces. Their
chief Abal was captured and decap-
itated, and his arms and legs, severed
from the trunk, were sent to the various
countries whose Inhabitants had suffered
from his predatory and murderous pro-
ceedings. The Hooboos are described
rs renegade faulahs in rebellion against |
he King of Timboo. The roads have !
low been cleared of these thieves and |
so that an unprotected child
'r female may travel in safety all through |
hat district. These operations will |
lot be without a salutary effect /
1pon American commerce, for there is |
n that country an increasing demand |
'or American productions, and many of |
The articles produced by the people are
in American trade.
"Samudu's army Is now only a few
miles from the coast, northwest of Sierra |
Leone. 1t is said to be their purpose |
now to deal with the Temisch and Sher-
bro counties, whose constant wars keep
the maratime regions in such state of
ferment that often the caravans have
struggled through obstruction FOR hun
dreds of miles. They find their greatest
among the coast tribes,
and often fall victims to the latter.
Samudu proposes to settle these dis
tricts, or, if not able, to selze the profess
sional warriors who are the chief cause
Of disorder and transport them to the
distant interior, where there will be no
opportunity for the qualification of their
proclivities.
''It is not known here what steps the
Government of Sierra Leone will take in
view of the proceedings of this force
from the interior, but it is believed that
a judicious cooperation with them on
the part of the British authorities would
effect great good for the freedom and |
permanent security of trade in the re-
gions neighborIng to the COLONY"