New-York tribune., 1896-09-27
DoNGOLA AND ITS EMIR
THE TOWN REoccUPIED AFTER ELEVEN
YEARS OF ABANDONMENT.

wAD BIsHARA AND HIS cAREER-oNCH a "A"-
,ANr WARRIOR. NOW A BLooDTHIRsTY
PRoFLIGATE - DERVisH FORCES
AROUND KHARToUM
Donrola-Kasr Dongola. or El Ordeh-has been
recaptured and that without striking blow III
"a not surprising for the power of the Dervishes
has fallen into decay. and the people are very
weary Of the rule of the Caliph and his Emlrs.
No doubt the native inhabitants of the whole
soudan will be as glad to see the British troops
ss were the oppressed Feaheen of the Delta
But the incident arouses interesting memories Of
the evacuation Of Dongoa. eleven years ago
and queries whether IL would not have been best
TO hold on to the place at that time
II was in July lsS, that the British force
which had been sent but too late. to the relief
OF Gordon at Khartoum. retired from Dongoia
and left that superb province TO relapse INTO
savagery Khartoum had fallen at the end of
January and the desert column at once began
its retreat across the Bayuda Desert The rear
guard OF this column marched into koru on
March a. 1885,. shortly afterward the eXpedi-
tionary force WAS located at different Strategic
points on the great river bend. TO await the con-
templated reoccupation of &hartoum IN the
autumn. In May orders having been received
TO retire from the Soudan. these stations were
successively evacuated far as FL Ordeh or
New Dongola Towns OF straw-roofed mud nuts
erected by the troops with great toll and under
circumstances Of extreme heat. desert winds
privation and sickness were thus abandoned
This retirement was remarkable for nothing or
more Importance than that the heat was very
great that launches and boats periodically stuck
on sand banks and rocks. and that. falling avn
inxs which the rocks prohibited. there was a
,-ollo av,nnn q
boats crews
DONGOLA.
On June /. relates one of those who were last
TO leave the place the boats of the lst Battahoh
RyvaI West Kent (old 5Oth. The Queens Own
Regiment arrived at New DOngola. The GUARDS
detachment which had been stationed there took
over their boats and proceeded northward. on
June 3 General Brackenbury arrived and as
suu,ed command of this. the then southernmost
point occupied by the retiring forces. The rear
yuard consisted of the above-named regiment.
sos,,e of the 10Th Hussars and camel battery.
The town was a large mud-built village. stand
Ing hack about a mile arm of the river.
and separated from the main stream by small
Island IL Is the centre of cultivated plain.
from two 10 three miles broad in strong con-
.rust to the right bank of the river. which Is
there simply a desert. standing high. with lofty
sand-dams. The town was once the medium OF
considerable desert traffic between Darfur ana
Stout Numerous craft. laden with gum sienna
and ivory made this a halting place before dis
charging their cargoes at Haffir at the head OF
the Third Cataract-the place at which the de-
csive skirmish fought the other day. re-
sulting In the fall of Dongoa. The dongs OF the
rear guard during the five weeks of the occupa-
tion chiefly of the nature Of dull routine.
Several conveys of stores were sent to the Third
Cataract In boats: somewhat questionable re-
lief to the monotony. for the exposure TO the
sun at this season of the year in open boats is
not a thing to be desired. on the return Journeys
the sudden 'shaitans" or whirwinds. rushing
down from the desert were a source of consider
able danger to the empty boats
ABANDONING THE TOWN.
For some time the evacuation OF the town by
the inhabitants had been swiftly proceeding
and. indeed il almost complete on the arrival
of the troops Passing from the we'll populated vii
lagos on the river bank surrounded by many palm
trees, through fields crossed by strings Of women
pitcher bearers. the town itself appeared. indeed
City Of the Dead. Through the hot nights the
bowling Of dogs among the empty streets seemed
10 sound with unusual clamor from the distance
even TO those accustomed to it. The low mud
built houses seemed to magnify their size and
multiply their numbers by their very emptiness.
When the troops first arrived some of the shops
in the bazaars still doing a feeble trade.
The Madneh. or Government House. low.
strongly made building. with large courtyard.
was at first tenantcd by few officials. 1t lies
close TO the river bank on July II IT was evacu-
ated and the last Of the remaining inhabitants
left the town They must at one time have
numbered from 1000 to 5000. The straw built
hufs occupied by the troops had not been rooted
TO keep out rain. thunderstorm on July I.
followed by hours Of heavy rain. drenched every
thing. The spectacle OF several perfectly sane
individuals, either seated under white cotton UNI
breslas or their dlnlng-room table. in an appar-
emily well-roOfed building a very strange
one II was the first rain experienced by many
Of the troops for fourteen or fifteen months.
The downfall was followed by swarms OF flying
bark ants which shed their wings over every
thing The temperature at this time high
Such readings 10S. 10 and UP to ll5 degrees
Fair. In the shade were frequent
Amusement only to be found in shooting
sand grouse across the river and in many curious
games Of cricket and FOUNDERS. On July 3 the
frwt preparations were made for the evacuation.
and at 3 a. m Sunday July ,, the boats left
Dongpla- The demolition of the small fort built
BY the British the las. act 1t was but half
accomplished. through some shortcoming in the
mining. While the last picket was waiting for
this il his pleasant task TO keep off the
strings Of women with their pitchers who. heed
lees Of warning were passing along the road
close by. Thus the desertion of Dongola
accomplished. and the province lost" to the
Government Of the Khedive
WAD BISHARA.
The present Emir Of Dongola, commander OF
all the Dervish forces in that province. is Wad
Bishara. who was in command at Haffir and was
wounded in that skirmsh. Slatin Pacha a
good deal Of him at Omdurman and gave TO u