The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-14
Story of Wonderful Campaign-=Its
Great Significance to England
and to Civilization.
CAPTURE OF KHARTOUM
And the Avenging of Gordon-Siatin Bey's Rescue--
The Strange Rise of Strange Empre--
Kiping's Ole to the "Fuzzy Wuzzy.''

I that mas ever made a campaign. Roent-
gen ray apparatus was included in its
outfit.
The Dervish leader whom General
Kitchener has now finally defeated is
known as the Khalifa Abdullahi. He sue
ceeded to all the powers spiritual and
temporal of the Mahdi.
It was in 1888 that the Mahdi proclaimed
a jehad or holy war against all inf1dels.
The British had just occupied Egypt in
order to suppress the rebellion of Arab
Pasha. The fierce black tribes of the
Soudan rallied 10 the Mahdrs standard.
Chief among them were the Baggaras.
The Soudan was an Egyptian depend
ency.
The Mahdi proclaimed himself a Mes
siah, a successor of Mahomet According
to Mohammedan teaching, such a person
is to appear on earth in its last days and
settle its affairs The Mahdi told his fol-
lowers that they were to obey him as
God. They did 50.
In 1888 the Mahdists annihilated an
Egyptian army of 10000 men under Hicks
Pasha. Position after position was cap
tured by the Mahdists. The British troops
fought several desperate and Intellectual
battles with the Soudanese. Rudyard
Kipling has given US the British soldiers
opinion of these black fighters to whom
he gives the name of Fuzzy Wuzzy:"
We've fought with many men across the
seas,
An some OF them was brave an'ssome
was not;
The Paythan an the Zulu an Burmese:
DIT
e rushes at the smoke when we let drive,
An before we know, 'e's 'ackin' at our
cad
'E's all 'ot sand and ginger when alive.
An 'e's generally shammin' when 'e's
dead.
'E's a daisy, 'e's a ducky, 'e's lamb,
'e's a Injia-rubber idiot on the spree.
Els the on'y thing that doesn't care
damn
For the regiment Of the British infan-
tree.
So 'ere's to you, Fuzzy Wuzzy, at your
ONE in the Soudan:
You're a pore benighted 'eathen, but
frst-class hghtin' man;
An 'ere's TO you, Fuzzy Wuzzy, with
'ayrick cad Of air
You big, black, boundin' beggar-fur you
bruk the British Square
Mr. Gladstone's government decided that
Egypt, assisted by England, was not
strong enough to fight the Mahdi. 1t
sent General Charles George Gordon,
man of wonderful bravery and singular
skill in dealing with savage races. to su-
perintend the withdrawal of the Egyptian
garrisons from the Soudan. Gordon went
to Khartoum almost alone. 1t proved his
grave.
The Mahdists besieged Gordon in over
whelming numbers. He sent for help
The British government vaccillated. The
people of the city believed the govern
ment was powerless TO help him. On
January e. 1885, Khartoum fell with
hardly a struggle, and Gordon was muir
dered unarmed. Two days later British
expedition arrived within sight of Khar-
toum, saw its ruins and retired.
There are many personal romances in
terwoven with the wonderful story of the
Soudan- The tragedy of Gordon is one
OF them. The triumph of Slatin is an
other. For ten years he was a slave of
the Khallfa. Now he is returning in tri-
umph with the British army to identify
his former oppressor when he is finally
hunted down.
Slatin was a dashtng young officer in the
Austrian army. He went to Africa in
search of adventure and entered the SER
vice Of the Khedive Of Egypt. He was
eventually made governor of the equato-
rial province of Darfur. From this he
was driven by the Mahdist rising While
fleeing through the desert he was cap
tured by the khalifa Abdullahi. the Nah
MS principal general.
At first he was treated with considera-
ton and made a sort of aide-de-camp to
the Khaufa. He was forced 10 write the
letter to Gordon demanding the surren-
der OF Khartoum. During the siege he
was loaded with chains and kept a close
prisoner on suspicion of communicating
with Gordon.
After the fall OF Khartoum Gordon's
head was brought to Slatin in a sheet.
He thus describes this fearful incident:
1t was now Sunday. the 25Jh OF jan
uary 1855. day l snail never forget as
long as I live. That evening. when II was
dark. the Mahdi and his Khanfa crossed
over in boat to where their warriors
were all collected ready for the fight. 1t
NdS Known LuElDS the cay tn3t hNartOuul
would be attacked the next morning. and
the Mahdi had now gone 10 brace up MS
followers Tor the fray by preaching TO
them the Elories Of Jehad. and urging
them 10 fight ;iu death. Pray Heaven
Gordon may have got the news and male
his preparations 10 resist in time.
ON this occasion the Mah5i and his
Khalifa mad most strictly enjoined their
followers 10 restrain their feelings and
receive the last injunctions IN silence in
stead Of with the usual shouts and accla-
nations. which might awaken the suspi-
cions Of the exhausted and hungry gar
rison. This solemn harangue over. the
Mah6i recrossed and returned % the
camp a; dawn. leaving with the stormiag
party only hhalifa Sheriff. who had begged
10 be allowed 20 Join in the holy battle
That night was for me the most ex-
citing anxious one OF my life II only the