The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-17
THE KHALIFA
AND KHART0UM.
With the Downfall of the City the
Dervish Rulers Prestige Ends.
0ES0LATE0 BY ITS CAPIORS.
Believed that the Dcrvishcs Have
Greatly Injured the Once Beau'i-
full City-Its Palace where 'hi-
nese Gordon was Killed.

power Of the khdllla AouNAah - P'"~
tcally overthrown and that kardofan
and the Soudan are restored TO me ruie
Of Egypt.
A point OF great stategic importance
and vast commercial possibilities mas
been gained. If the London report be
true Seated al the confluence Of the
Blue Nile and White. the city is bound 10
be- a great emporium OF trade. IL Is
shaped like the head of an elephant.
from which IL derives its name. In the
old DAYS il was very beautiful, with white
walls and domcs and minarcts cleaning
through green palm groves. But tne
Khalifa's wild followers have probably
made the city desolate.
The city has had an eventful history
since 1852 Raouf Pacha was governing
the Isle Of Meroe for the Khedive IN that
year. News was beginning 10 arrive OF a
certain dervsh wandering in the Soudan,
who was drawing all the natives 10 him.
and especially those Arabs who lived 10y
the slave trade, which Gessi Pasha had
been extirpating
EMBOLDENED BY TRIUMPHS.
This Dervish. M0hammed Ahmad by
name. could turn. IL is said an govern
ment bullets into water, and had in truth
once and again defeated Egyptian troops
sent 10 arrest him. Then. becoming bold
err the pretender of a sudden openly
called himself the Mahdi. a name derived
from a word in the opening chapter of the
Koran. lie shortly afterward started 10
lay siege 20 FL Obeid.
4 Kordofan Arab Of the desert type.
his outward appearance. we are told, was
strangely fascinating. He was a man OF
strong constitution. very dark complex
ion. and his face always wore pleas
ant smile. to which he had by long prac-
tise accustomed himself. Under this smile
cleaned "a set OF singu'arly white teeth
and between the two upper middle ones
was V-shaped space. which IN the SOU
dan is considered "a sign that The owner
will Doe lucky. His mode Of conversation
also had by training become exceptionally
pleasant and sweet
As a messenger OF God. he pretended
10 be I'm direct communication with the
Deity All orders which he gave were
supposed 20 have come 10 him by inspira-
ton. and 20 became, therefore. sin 20
refuse to obey them. Disobodience to the
Mahdrs orders was tatamount 20 resist
ance to the will OF God. and was there
fore punishable by death
BEGINS a SANGUINARY REIGN.
lie called himself Mahdi Khalifat er
Rasul. c'the successor of the Prophet)
while his adherents called him Sayid
("The MastcrD. This troublesome and
extraordinary person with no drill or
military science mo- Weapons TO speak Of
but plenty of forocious followers. princi-
paily OF the Baggara race. marched
through the towns and villages OF Kordo-
fan. and with $1,000 men besieged El
Obcld and took the town after one re-
pulse. cruelty numbering its brave defend
crs. whose last days had been sustained
upon tree gum and the food laid up in
the nests Of white ants.
That conquest increased the name and
fame Of the Mahdi who settled down
ike king M Obeid. while preparing for
"a further advance TO Khartoum. By this
time be had inhamed with his preaching
and success the whole OF Korf0lan and of
SEMINAR except that corner whore the
city of Khartoum SITS upon the Junction
vt the White and Blue Nile.
Before ne could master this central
position he had To- confront the expedition
under Hicks Pacba. sent by the Egyp-
tan government tO Rahad Everyood
knows the miserable issue. The Mahdl cut
that force 90 pieces. SO that hardly q
man escaped. and by this victory gained
almost the entire SOudan. and opened
the way 90 the conquest OF khartoum.
THOUSANDS ASSAIL GORDON.
Z Darfur fell: slaun Bay surrendered, and
after that terrible butchering of Birket
the Mahdi was looked upon as divine.
! The Arabs declared they had seen the
angels Of God fighting on his side, and
| the water in which DE washed hin self
was sold in the bazaar as precious anti
dote against AN sorts of disease.
At the beginning of 1854 Gordon arrived
| at Khartoum. a solitary and helpless
man. sent ont 90 perform an impossible
| itv. From HIS palace 20 the city the lonely
dreamer offered 10 Mahdi all the Western
| Soudan as his own territory with the
recognized rank of sultan. ln bitter reply
the Mahdi sent him back complete set
of deryish garments.
Then the victorious fanatic and pi0us
slave dealer set out for Khartoum. where
| the haDless PEOPLE, deceived by the hope
% English help had fingered to welcome
! Gordon 40 notice was taken OF mat
| hero's prOclamatiOns 90 the Soudancse
! His communications were cut with tho
north. and very soon a horde numbering
| $4,000 swarmed at the heels of ihe Mahdi
into Omdurman and the outskirts Of
| Khartoum. This was in October. lNsi
The low Nile left part Of the ram
parts broken and indefensible The vast
mass of assaiing dervshes made thereby
their rush. I'm two bands. just before
| the nfiAlru iNllNfiAr ANANN NAlA' AA "i~itN
| OF the white walls and green palm groves
! OF the city.
CRUEL DEATH or GORDON
! How Gordon died at his hopeless post
/ Is thus related:
cone party dashed along the parapet
! breaking down an resistance and slaugh-
| tering the soldiers In an directions, the
I other party made for the town. The in
| habitants reused from their sleep by the
shouts Of the Arabs and the din Of rifle
| shots. hurried out.
Like a pent up stream suddenly re-
| leased more than 5000 wild deryishes,
! with hideous yells, rushed upon the 1000
] inhabitants Of KhartOum. besides the 5000
soldiers-all that were LETT OF the 5000
at the commencement OF the siege.
"The surglng mass threw itself on the
| palace. overlooked into the lovely garden.
and burst through the doors I'm wild
search OF their prey; but Gordon went
| alone TO meet them. As they rushed mp
| the stairs he came toward them and
| tried 10 speak to them: but they could
not or would not listen, and the first
| Arab plunged his huge spear into his
| body. He fell forward on his face and
was dragged down the stairs. many stab
| bing him with their spears and his head
was cut of and sent 10 the Mahdi
ION Gordon's head being brought 20
the Mahdi he appeared TO have been
much displeased at his death-not because
he felt pity for him. but believed that
| Gordon might join his army. Gordon s
/ head was hung on a tree in Omdurman,
-. mil q. L.. 1T.