The Portland daily press., 1885-08-26
WAR IN AFRICA.
Mahometans Advance Their Faith
by the Sword.
An Army Invests the Country and En-
forces Submission of the People.

WASHINGTON, Aug 24.-Secretary of State
Bayard is in receipt of despatch from
Sierra Leone, giving accounts of the move
ments OF an immense army III the interior of
Africa. The despatch is dated July IA last,
Nand was sent by Consul Lewis. Mr.. Lewis
says: | have the honor to bring to the no.
tice of the Department of State the fact of
an extraordinary movement among the Ma
hometans of the Nigritian regions extending
from Ilmbuctoo to the west coast 1t APP
pears that in 1880 a Maadinjo named Samu-
dus, of extraordinary intelligence and energy,
conceived the idea that he was called of God
to wage a war for the suppression of pagan
ism and the opening Of the roads to the
coast, which in certain districts have been
for generations subjected to excessive black
mail and to the plundering of vagabond
tribes
During the last five years he has collected
an army consisting of foot and horse of
about 100000 men. Mahometan youth, where
ever he goes flock to his standard, anxious
not only to secure the reward in the hereaf-
ter promised to those who fight for their re-
liglon, but to carry off the rich spoils of time
which these expeditions that battle for the
faith are sure to win.
1t is said that Samudus' army is divided in
to three portions; one is operating near the
head waters of the Niger. This portion re-
Gently drove certain French troops from the
gold regions of Boure, of which they had
taken possession, and are now beSieging
Bummaks, large town on the Niger, occu-
pied about three years ago by the French,
who have erected Notifications there. An
other portion of the army is operating in the
regions east of Liberia and by SuppresSing
the disturbing elements, unfettering trade
and introducing knowledge of religion and
letters, is In one sense opening the way for
negro immigrants of intelligence and energy
from America to push out from the Africa
American republic to the healthy and fertile
regions Of the interior. In another sense it
is forestalling the whole region for Mahome-
tanlsm, and making it difficult if not impos-
slble, II indeed it is desirable, to convert that
country to the faith imported from America
by the immigrants.
The third portion of the army is approach
ing the coast few miles northwest of Sierra
Leone. 1t has secured the submission by
force of voluntary surrender of all the tribes
on the way for 500 miles back. The largest
and most important pagan kingdom on this
side of the Niger was Soolna, of which Tai
aba a large commercial city, was the capital
For the last sixty years the Fulah Mahome-
tanS have been trying, by diplomacy and
arms, to subdue this city to the faith, but it
has always successfully resisted both diplo-
mat and warrior Last year Samudus' army
In overwhelming numbers, surrounded it,
and called upon the king to surrender and
profess Islam This he refused to do
The town was then invested, and, after a
terrible siege of five months, the king assem-
b!ed the royal family and principal chiefs in
his powder house and informed them that
he could hold out no longer, as his resources
were exhausted; but having for more than
200 years belonged to the ruling element, he
was determined for himself and family to die
rather than come under Mahometan rule. He
gave the chiefs their choice, either to die
with him or &C. out Of the town and give
themselves up to the enemy. They decided
to die with him. He then set fire to the pow
der, and they were all blown up. Thus end
ed the Soolina power, which for more than
seven generations had influenced the trade
and politics Of extensive districts, and had
commanded the principal highways to the
coast.
Another very important achievement of
the army is the destruction of the Hooboo
power, an irresponsible organization which
for thirty years has been source of annoy
ance and loss to caravans passing from the
interior to the coast. Samudus gave orders
to attack them in their mountain strongholds,
which, until then, had proved inaccessible to
the neighboring forces. They were sur
prised. Their chief, Abal, was captured and
decapitated, and his arms and legs, severed
from the trunk, were sent to the various
countries whose inhabitants had suffered
from his predatory and murderous proceed
innc