Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-06
SOUDAN HORRORS.
Ell AAHDI AND OLIVIER PAIN.

Ell MAHDI AND OLIVIER PAIN.
Father Bopomi Tells How He Met Them
In the soudan-El Mahdi Probably Pol
sonsd.
A correspondent writing from Vienna
says: Mgr. Sogaro, Vicar Apostolic
for Central Africa, and Father Bonomi,
the famous missionary who was held
captive for three years at Fl Obeid by
the Mahdi, arrived in this city from
Verona three days ago at, the request
Of the Emperor. The Catholic mis-
sions at Khartoum, it will be remem-
bered, were under Austrian protection,
the sisters of the schools were Austrian
subjects, and Herr Hansal, the Aus
trian consul, was slain with Gordon
when the city fell before the hordes
of the Mahdi. Pere Bonomi leaves
Vienna to-day for the Soodan, owing
to the news received from Egypt that
the Mahdi's successor at 0mdurman
has offered to release the remaining
prisoners for a money ransom. During
his brief stay here Pere Bonomi was
the recipient of the most distinguished
honors, and was besieged by the repre-
sentatives of all leading continental
journals. The story Of his adventures
reads like romance, and his revelations
dissipate much of the mystery that
yeiled the False Prophet from European
eyes.
SLAUGHTER OF HICKS PACHA's
ARMY.
Pere Bonomi gives the first detailed
account Of the utter annihilation Of
Hicks Pacha's army of $4,000 men.
This battle, or slaughter rather, took
place near the little village Of Casghe,
thirty-six miles south of FL Obeid. The
only European who was known to have
escaped the massacre was Prussian
named Gustav Cloz, former Uhlan
sergeant, and during Hicks campaign
attached to the person Of Edmund
O'Donovan, the famous correspondent
Of the London Daily Ne,cS. A few days
before the battle this man, impelled by
cowardice or prudence perhaps, on see-
ing the deplorable condition Of the
army and the impossbility of success,
deserted from the camp during the
night. lie fell into the hands Of the
rebels, who were swarming about the
camp, and after being despoiled of
every thing, in true Arab fashion, was
led barefooted into the presence OF the
Mahdi. Two of the missionaries were
summoned to act as interpreters, and
the Mahdi interrogated him minutely as
to the condition Of the enemy's forces.
On hearing the detailed story Of the
Generalization, cowardice, and lack Of
discipline in the Egyptian army, the
Mahdi remarked that the traitcr was
telling lies in order to make a good
impression on his captors. The story
Of the battle, as told by Pere Bo-
nomi, may be summed up in a few
words. Fl Mahdi concentrated his en-
tire forces at FL 0beid and waited till
the ill-fated Hicks struck his camp at
Rahad. The forces of the English gene
raj. having TO traverse long stretch of
prickly bush, were compelled to break
ranks and scatter into groups to open
passage and transport the baggage.
While thus engaged the Mahdi suddenly
struck them with his fall force. alt
was in no sense battle" says Pere
Bonomi, "but a carnage, a series of
partial combats where handful Of sol
diers, hemmed in on all sides, despe-
rately struggled till death against innu-
merable hordes."
HICKS PACHA's VALUABLE DIARY.
The missionaries secured possession
of q diary or historical account of the
entire campaign, kept by Hicks Pacha,
and the papers and notebooks of some
of the officers of the ill-fated expedi-
tion. These memorials, whose value
the missionaries fully appreciated, were
unfortunately lost when the Mahdi set
forth for the siege Of khartoum, to-
wards the end of March, 1884. Alb
dullah, the Mahdi's caliph or lieute-
nant, had the missionaries hustled from
their tents without word of warning,
and would not allow them to remove
anything, even the commonest necessa-
ries. Pere BonOmi endeavored to save
the manuscript, but without success.
On the road to Khartoum, and nine
miles from Ballad, is the mountain Of
Daier, inhabited by brigands whom the
Egyptian Government we're never able
to subjugate. They refused to join FL
Mahdi's standard, and the latter laid
siege 10 their mountain fastness with
over so, 900 men. The brigands fought
with desperate energy and beat the
hosts Of Fl Mahdi with tremendous
loss. This was the first defeat inflicted
on the False Prophet. Meantime the
Mahdi porceeded to Khartoum, and one
of his lieutenants returned to El 0beid,
bringing back the missionaries, who
were now under the control of
Sheriff Mahmoud, Governor of Kordo-
fan, and uncle of FL Mahdi. The Sis
ters Of Charity were held by FL Mahdi
and carried to Omdurman, near Khar-
toum, where they are now held for ran
som by Abdullah.
Pere Bonomi sets at rest the story Of
Olivier Pain, which has been the sub.
ject Of such angry recriminations be-
tween the French and English press for
the past two months, and which even
caused the exchange Of notes between
the Governments Of the two countries.
Shortly after his return to FL 0beid, in
the middle Of August, 1884, a Euro
pean, accompanied by the Arabs Of the
Ahalda tribe and mounted on splendid
camels, was led one morning into the
ancient mOudirie or prefecture of the
town. The European had a frank and
open countenance, jaunty, inde-
pendent air, was of medium height, with
blonde hair and beard, and a skin
bronzed by the desert sun. The rumor
spread among the chiefs that he was a
Frenchman and a minister or prince Of
that illustrious nation. Pere Bonomi
was sent for by Sheriff Mahmoud to act
as interpreter. When be arrived the
European was standing in front of the
ch;afs Thev uare ordarad IN cit on tha