The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-29
soudan began. and at this late date Egypt

Soudan began. and at this late date Egypt
the puppet behind which England pulls
the strings. Is to advance for the purpose
OF reconQuering the lost provinces. This
reconquest sooner or later IS Inevitable
the sooner the better for civilization and
the future of Africa, but whether the pow
er to carry reconquest to a successful is
sue rests with Egypt 10 a question Of the
larger politics which Is played in Europe
and Is so entangled with questions OF
European statecraft that 1t cannot be In
diligently discussed save with reference
to these.
Roughly speaking. the Mahdists or Der
wishes rule IN the heart Of Africa, a terri
tory stretched along a portion OF the
Lower Nile and along both branches Of the
Upper Nile. thousand miles from east to
west. a thousand miles from north to
south, and inhabited by millions OF peo-
pie Within this territory fifteen years
have seen great changes. whose precise
nature 20 man in civilization exactly
knows. Whole tribes have been wiped
out by war, famine and pestilenoe. and
other tribes have changed through migra-
tons inspired by religious feeling, the
habitations which had known their fore
fathers for centuries.
Nearly opposite the site OF Khartourn
has sprung up with a rapidly surpass-
ing the growth OF the boom towns OF the
West. new city. the capital OF the NAH
di. and OF has successor. Omdurman.
Here. where twenty years ago was moth
ing but a huddle OF tribesmens huts mark
ing a ferry from the western bank OF tho
Nile to tho low sandbar at the foot Of
Khartoum- has sprung up a town some
three or four miles In extent walled
against invasion. dotted with the domes
OF mosques and shining In the clear Sou
A. xxrtsA Lii a
OF palaces. AT the heart Of the town 10
the new shrine OF Soudansse Mohammesl-
ism. the burial place where the late Mahdi
was Inferred within a year after his great
triumph over Chinese Gordon at Khar-
toum b. his successor. Khaiifa Abduifahi.
who is himself still sometimes mistakenly
called the Mahdi. but whose real title is
Mahdi. The Khalifa was one OF the four
generals of the late Mahdi. and was by
the latter proclaimed before his death az
his successor. He disposed of all his rivals
and OF the relatives OF the late Mahdi By
the usual Oriental method OF slaughter or
imprisonment His favorfte command.
when any OF the tribes OF dervishes or
hillmen were suspected of chafng under
his authority. has beer TO send them orders
TO come into Omdurman, and the orders
have seldom been disoheyed- The result
has been that the Mahdist capital has be-
come thronged with man who were once
raising dates ana nniilet in ths Gases OF
the far desert. with the natural result that
food In the Soudan has nuctuatet In prices
greatly during the last few years. At all
times they have risen to literal famine
rates and then the bodies OF people who
have died Of starvation were as common
In Orndurman Itself. not to speak Of the
deserted villages Of the interior, as ever
they were In the most disastrous pestt>
lenoes OF the middle ages.
No one knows what the population of
the Souian may now be. but II 10 noe
doubted that 1t has decreased 50. 90. pos
sibly even q per cent. within two decades:
bu; though less IN absolute esze. Il II fap
more concentrated 50 that the khaiifa
eulI has ~ his Command great armies
Of resoiuts men. bound TO him not lesa BY
interest than by religious fervor: fos
while he has ns.cilsssiy classified every
clan that he has even Suspected Of med.
,ta.inr a revolt. he has loaded with re-
wards the strong military TRIES upon
whose devotion hts empire rests. And
about hss lcw-w allied paiaae In tho hart
Of omdurman- he has drawn a. . safe
ruard against attack or assassination.
many thousands OF desert warriors.
Thus the KhalisA 10 strong. but his
strength 10 Of the eor. that would yss.d
readily to a determined attack The IA
n.,aelsrn Of the followers oe the Aahii
himself when. csteea years ago hey
hurried their naked bodies against the faes
Of the well-:rilssd sol3seTy. has dse.4as1
with the discovery tAai the promised VIC
tory over o., the world has &c. come 70
pssa There is St<contsst- too. zrlccg Ss
trsaasxnen whom The Kk&iffa has turned
frors their homes: AnseEg The river boat
men. vhoss tsnahsas hs has coEcsca;ea
un6.r the name Of t2xatson. among the
merchants Of the Arab rsos. whose former
business aisrx the great caravan HES
l>Aa.rx from Kharcura 90 AxscaAa. kas-
sAlA. Lever Erypt- and ne ReS SEA- Re
las almost entirely DESTROYED pss2-so-