Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-01
TO AVRNGE GEN. GORDON.
THE ANGLO-EGYPTlAN EXPEDITION
UNDER KITCHENER.
End of Mahdism and Misrulo in tho Sou
dan in Sight After Eight Years of Saw
age Reign -Omdurman Sure to Fall
--Slatin Pasha's Escape.


that the attack of the Khalifa's forces at
Omdurman will be made before Septem-
Der 4. us Eel Hair is only two days march
from the Dervish stronghold.
The approaching attack of the Anglo
Egyptian forces on the city Of Omdurman
the headquarters of the Mahd chief
known as the Khalifa, recalls wildly the
fall of Khartum and the death of Gen
Gordon. which are responsible for the
present expedition under Gen. Sir Herbert
Kitchener. The Soudan, formerly belong
ing to Egypt was taken by the Mahd and
his followers, ending with the fall of
Khartum and death of Gordon, the gov
lernor general. in January, 1885. The NAH
al, a religious fanatic had aroused tho
natives to point of rebellion, and grad
ually the power of Egypt had been brok-
en- down.
ON the death of the Mahdi Adbullah
bin Sayd Mohammcd. one of the Mahdis
khallfas, OF whom there were three, pro-
claimed himself the Mahdi's successor
and camc into power He has been n cum
ming, cruel, but shortsighted ruler.
Omdurman, his city, opposite ruined
Khartum on the Nile, was built by the
Mahd's followers after the fall OF the
older city
The expedition now advancing against
Omdurman consists of about 25.O00 troops.
most Of whom are Egyptians, the rest be-
ing tried British soldiers. This expedition
was undertaken more than "A year ago by
the British and Egyptian governments,
not only to regain the rich and vast do
main of the Soudan, taken by the Mahdi,
but also to punish the natives and posi-
bly, to avengo the heroic death of Gordon.
The advance of the expedition from
Cairo along the Nile has been slow, but
considering that a railroad has been con-
structed as the columns moved forward,
tho advance up to the present point now
been rapid, from a military viewpoint.
The Khaifa is supposed to have about
10000 native troops and 1t is said he is
determined to make u desperate stand.
Some idea of the inner life of the Mahdi
and tho Khalfa is found in the remark
able experience of an Austrian officer
named Slatin, who. while acting as gov
ernor of a province in the Soudan under
Gordon, was captured by the Mahdi and
held prisoner many years.
sLATIN PAStTA's EXPERIENCE.
| One March morning in 1895 the mess of
the Egyptian and English officers in the
service of the Khedive at Assuan i'm the
Soudan. the last outpost of civilization
against the Mahdists. was just beginning
to tcstir itself, when there arose a hub
bub outside and GREATNESS runners from
the desert clamored that a white man,
who had escaped from the power of the
Khalifa was coming. The officers could
scarcely drop their coffee cups when there
staggered into the moss a rauut and
hargard man clad In a torn and dirtv
Jibba, or Mahdist coat, whose skin was
so brcnzed by exposure to the sun that
the Egyptians who gathered around were
not more swarthy. In the full glare of
the morning sun. rising throurh tho over
cloudless skv over the yellow wastes
through which ran tho eroen rihbon
Iwatered bv the Nile. ho stood and thc Of
dcers he,ped tho bundle of homes and rog.
7 to a chair.
The return or "'rho Man Who Was" IN
J<iplinu's story was no moro dramatic
than this actual return to the land of Inc
white men, OF Rudolph Slatin. or Slatin
Pasha. as he Is knovn sixteen years bc.
fore the Young and dashinr Austrian Of
ficor had gone into the vilds OF Africa ms
governor of tho great provinco of Dnrfur
/ For twelve wears he has been n slave
| i'm the hands of the Mahdists suffering
every indlgnity that the ingenuity of the
Mahdi and his succo ssor, tho Iihalifa
could invent The officers pave food IN
him and dressed him once more ms n
ubito man. they Regarded those who In A
guided him TO Assuan and the moss re-
joiced over him as over one back from
/ As soon as he was obIe 70 trove, slotin
went to Cairo where he was allowed 10
.recuperate his health before making a
lreuort ON the condition of tho Ehalifa s
Ipower TO his military supporters After
he had becn some time in Cairo no wrote
1.-THE contrast between NV mast and nros.
emf life. the many changes | see around
me sometimes moltes NV hend feel beavy
heavy as though | had lust awoke from
an evil dream-twelvc years captivity. a
long dream. indeed II was long before
my excitement subsidized but gradually
bepnn IN settle down and collcc, NV
thoughts Now again in tho midst Of civ.
iized society n man among mon my
thanks are duo m cod whose nrotcctinc
hand has led mo safely through ali TIC
dangers bchind mo {"
4 n was tho Inrormation brought nv S,a.
lin ~ Tho KhoIi,a ana hi. foIiouors th,,
made the british resolve to sond o,,t ms
present eynodition for tho conquest ot
tho Khartum and tho enuatorjaI nrov.
iinccs and for avcnring tho death of c,nr.
don "whorc the fires Of HON oncircIod In
tho desert LOST IIhartum'" Slatin wa,
loaded with favors nv The Khedivc anf
went along with the nresent Anglia E,cvn
tim oxnedition attached m Tho intolii.
eerce dcnortnont 10 meot orco more ~,
lbarboric tvrant whose slave he nd bonn
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