Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-25
An African COnauerOr.


MAHOMMEDAN ARMY OF 100000 MEN
WAGING WAR AGAINST PAGANIsM-THE
CURIOUS STORY TOLD BY CONSUL LEWIS.
United States Consul Lewis at Sierra Leone
Africa. has sent dispatch to the State de-
partment, giving an account of an extraordi-
nary movement among the Mohammedans OF
the Nigritian regions, extending from Timbuc-
too to the west coast. 1t appears that in 1880
Mandingo named Samudu, of extraordinary
intelligence and energy, conceived the idea
that he was called of God to wage a war for the
suppression of paganism and the opening of
the roads to the coast, which, in certain dis.
trlcts, have been for generations subject to eX-
cessive blackmail and to the plundering of
yagabond tribes. During the last five years he
mas collected an army, consisting of foot and
horse, of about 100000 men. Mohammedan
youth, wherever he goes, flock to his standard,
anxious not only to secure the reward in the
hereafter promised to those who fight for their
religion, but to carry off the rich spois of time
which these expeditions that battle for the
faith are sure to win.
Consul Lewis says that the army is divided
into three sections, one of which is operat-
ing in the regions of east Liberia. and by sup
pressing the disturbing elements, interfering
trade and introducing knowledge of religion
and letters, Is in one sense opening the way
tor negro immigrants of intelligence and energy
from America to push out from the Africo-
American republic to the healthy and fertile
regions of the interior. In another sense it is
1ofedI,ang the Whole for NOLAN
possible If indeed it is desirable, to convert
that country to the faith imported from Amer.
lea by the immigrants.
Another section of the army is approaching
the coast few miles northwest of Sierra Leone.
1t has secured the Submission by force or voun:
tary surrender of all the tribes on the way for
500 miles back. The largest and most impor-
tant pagan kingdom was SOOlima, of which
Talaba a large commercialAcity, was the cap
ital. For the last sixty years the Fulah Mo-
hammedans have been trying by diplomacy
and by arms to subdue this city to the faith
but it has always successfully resisted both di-
plOmat and warrior. Last year Samudu's army,
In overwhelming numbers, surrounded it, and
called upon the king to surrender and profess
Islam. This he refused ~ do. The town was
then invested, and atteCH terrible siege of five
months. the king assembled the royal family
ard principal chiefs in his powder house. and
ger, as his resources were exhausted, but having
Tor more than two hundred years belonged to
the ruling element, he was determined for him
self and family to die rather than come
under Nohammedan rule. He gave the
chiefs their choice either 10 die with him or go
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 in
fiuenced the trade and politics of extensive
districts, and had commanded the principal
few miles from the coast northwest of Sierra
Leone. 1t is said to be their purpose now to
deal with the Timney and SherbrO countries
whose constant wars keeps the maritime
regions in d state OF terment
These operations the consul thinks will not
commerce, for there Is in that country an
increasing demand for American productions
and many of the articles produced by the
people are valuable in American trade.