The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-03
PIE INTERIOR OF AFRICA.
An Immense Army Marching Through tn"
country for the Purpose of Establishing
a ReforrnafiOn


/ An Immense Army Marching through the
/ country for the Purpose of EST, biishins
a Reformation.
/ WASHINGTON, August 25.-Secretary or
State Bayard is in receipt of dispatch
from Sierra Leone giving accounts OF the
movement of an army Of one hundred thou
sand men in the interior of Africa The
dispatch is dated July IA, and MAS sent oy
United States Consul Lewis. In il he says:
| have the honor to bring to the notice or
the Department of State the fact OF an ex-
traerdinary movement among the Mohana-
n!edanS of the Negritian regions extending
from Timbuctoo to the west coast Ii
happens that in 1880 a Mandingo named
Samudu, of extraordinary intelligence and
energy, conceived the idea that he was
called of God to wage war for the sup
preston of PaganiSm and the opening OF
the roads to the coast, which IN
certain districts have been for gen
erltious subjected to excessive black
mail and to the plundering of the vaga-
bond tribe. During the last five years he
has collected an army consisting, foot and
horse. of abont 100, 900 men, The Mo
bammedan youth. wherever he goes, flock
to his standard, anxious not only 10 secure
the reward in the hereafter promised 10
those who fight for their religion, but to
carry off the rich SpOiiS OF time, which III
these expeditions those that battle for the
faith are sure to win. Its said that SamuduS
army is divided into three portions. One
is operating near the head waters of the
Niger This portion recently drove certain
French troops from the god regions of
Bourse of which they had taken posses
sion, and are now brSieging BamnIakS.
large town on the Niger, occupied about
three years ago by the French, who have
erected Notifications there.
An Their portion of the army is opcrat-
ing in the regions east of Siberia, and by
SURPRISING the disturbing elements, un-
lettering trade and introducnga knowledge
of religion and letters is, i'll one sense,
Opening the way for negro immigrants Of
intelligence and energy from America 10
push out from the African-Americtn Re
public 10 the healthy and fertile regions OF
the Interior In another sense it is fOT,-
staIing the whole region fox Mohammttiism
and making it difficult, if not impossible. if
indeed it is desirable to convert that conn
try to the faith imported from Anieric, by
tho immigrants. The third portion of
the army is approaching the coast
few miles northwest of Sierre Leone. 1t has
secured the admission by force or vol
unt.ly Surrender of all the tribes on the
WAY fcr 500 miles back. The largest and
most important Pagan kingdom on this side
of the Niger was S0Olima, of which Taia-
ba, a large commercial city, was the capital.
For the last sixty years the Fulah MOhdn-
medans have been trying by diplomacy and
By arms to subdue this city to the faith, bit
it has always successfully resisted both
diplomat and warrior. Last year Samudu's
army in overwhelming numbers surrounded
il and called upon the KinK TO surrender
and profess Islam. This he refused to do.
The town was then invested and after =
terrible siege of five months and the kinS
assembled the royal family and PRINCIPAL
chiefs in his powder house and informed
them that he could hold out no .onScr As
his resources We're exhausted, bat having
for more than 200 years belonged 20 the,
ruling element he was determined for him
self and family TO die rather than come I'M
der the NOhamthcdan rule. He gave Tie
chiefs their choice either 10 die with HIM or
go out of the town and give themselves up
to the enemy. The chiefs decided tO die
with him. he then set fire TO tie 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 exclusive districts, and had
the principal highways TO the
coast.
Another very important achievement OF
this army WAS the destruction of the HOohOc
power, an irresponsible organization, which
Tor thirty Years had been source of annoy
ance and loss to caravans passing from the
interior TO the coast. SamUdu gave orders
to attack them i'll their mountain strong
holds, which until then had proved inaccz.s-
sible to the neighbOring forces. They We're
surprised, their chief. 4 bat, was captured and
decaptated. aud his arms and legs severed
from the trunk were sent to the various cOun-
tres whose iHhah tant~ had Suffrrt;' firm rs
predatory and murderOus proceedings. Tie
Hooboos are described As renegade feulahS
rebellion against the King of Timbucs1O.
The roads have now been cleared of tisese
thieves and murdererS so that an unprotected
female may travel in safety all through that
district. Those operations win not be with
out 4 sautOry effect upon american com
merce, for there is in that country an in
creased demand for American productions
and many of the articles produced by the
people are valuable in American trade. I
SaInudu's army is now only a few mi-es .
from the coast and northwest of Sierra
Leone. 1t is said t9 be his purpose now 10 J
deal with the Timueh and Sheroo countries .
whose constant wars keep the maritime re-
gions in such state of fcrment that often
the caravans having struggled through 90 .
structiOIs for hundreds OF miles they tiBd .
~, IL Ii .,s.-t
tribes and often fall victims to tie latter.