The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22
THE SUN, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 90, 1899.

upon the Koran Mohammed Ahmed had Tor years
bccn preaching against tho extortions oil the
Turkish ohicials and our author thinks ina.
had II not been suggested TO him, it's unlikely 'hn'
he would ever have assumed the role OF Mahoi'
Had he preached simply in the capacity OF hoty
man, II lie pronounced almost certain thai thls
crusade would have succeeded almost equally
well Tho country was ripe for rebellion and
when tho power Of Mohammcd Ahmed overcamo
the hrst Turk" sent against him. success was
assured, and thousands fockod 70 MIN MS
crusade in the beginning was not rensious
movement pure and simple; 1t was the rising o.
an oppressed people against government 'ha'
had but lately tried to establish its authority over
them. II Is true that once having had the role
Of Mahdi forced upon him, Mohammed Ahmed
did his best TO act UP to IT, his miracles in the way
Of annihilntinr successive armies sent against
him were very real indeed, and, II mulntudes
focked TO his banner in consequence OF 'nem'
they should not be too lightly charged Win ianau-
cism and unrcasoning supersnuon' ior 'ney
throngod TO 500 tho worker oil thceo genuine
wonder-works, quito as many thousands o. pop'o
in moro enlightened chimes wero making pilgrim
agos TO caves grottoes and shrines IN the oeNei
that tho miracles they were praying ior wouiu
DO performed Nor, considering that the lal'h
in dreams and visions Is almost as strong In inc
East as IL was when Pharaoh had his dreams in
terpreted by Joseph. should We blame Mohammed
Ahmed and his successor for taking advantage
Of the credulity OF the most credulous people on
earth. by relating pretended visions. when. not
long ago in Paris thousands OF people were HOOK
ing 10 the doors OF one who pretended 10 he the
mouthpioce on earth of the angel Gabriel much
moro mythical being than the prophet Moham-
med or tho Mahdi.
v.
Noufeld feels confident that II Mohammed
Ahmed had lived, he would have succeeded IN
establishing some form Of government which,
II not better, would certainly have been no worse
than the one he had overturned. On the Mahdi
unexpected death. AbduIlah found himself IN
vested with q trust which, as he Immediately
perceived, he would only be able TO discharge
through tho exercise OF a merciless military aeS
potism. Threatened with attack from oil poih'S Vi
the compass, he had also internal dlssehsions "
combat and he met them unilinching'y' me
his atrocities have been made much Of he in'at'-
ably went through the farce OF trying peopie i''
disobedience during his reign oil martial Ia" W.
fore carrying out the capital sentence our au''',
suggests that II Abdulahis atrocities were pia'cn
side by side with those committed during reNo'u
tons in other countries his list would not be iound
was, but II was concentrated in one place. ana
thus beine more clearly seem was, as c"hse-
ouence more deeply felt STILL opinions may DO
said IN he equally divided as TO whether oppression
was ,nv greater during thcworst daysoi the reign
of Abdullahi than II had been under the precea'"E
Egyptian g1yernment The author oil 'h,s oooA
would not be supposed 10 be writing III ueie,.o
OF either Mohammed Ahmed or Abduliah'' OIL 'no
latter at all events he has little reason 10 say oio
good word: but he thinks II time that the Soudah
should be seen through clear glasses 'ee'o"'s
OF power he says was Abdullahi oese''ihs SIN
and 70 this must be attributed the swirl puh's"
ment melted out to those who In the sig nteS' NO
gree exhibited disobedence Of orders To this
jealousy must be added vanity i nave heaFu'
writes Neufeld since my release, from people Oh
tho Muslima.ieh quarter In Omdurman some OF
tho reaaons for Abdul ahi' 3 sparing my lie had
forgotten the incident but am reminded mat
when. on my arrival at Omdurman, was taken
IN the pallows in chains 70 be hanged, turhea 10
the Emirs and shouted, Has your Mahdl u USED
this name at the time) no other way OF eAhloi''hg
his power but by hanging bound man before an
his soldiers? Take of my chains ana wiz
fieht you or else get on with your WORK Ao.
dullahi was told this while was still being piayeu
with. and sad "A man who will talk IKE 'ha'
when he is going TO be hanged Is man TIC
Is big man, I will not hang him. A man VINO
is not afraid Of mo Is not to be hanged WIN
keen him This was said TO the Musimanieh
and others Abdulahi had not made up his MIND
whether 7 WAS A merchant spy. medicine man
or general. Then again. he kept me alive IN ORDER
10 proye that he was more powerful than my MaieN
fthe Emperor of Germany ! am told tha' ne
yery often said to people, You have heard oil Ab-
dallah Nufeld he is not afraid OF me- MS MACK
has millions Of soldiers like him. but he dare not
bring his armies to release him; he Is afraid 10
meet my ansar
N.ufeld regards the future Of the Soudan as
still problematical, and warns those who Intend
To make rush for the country as soon as II Is de-
clared open for trade that settled government
has vet TO be established. The Soudan mas mad
hitherto only our regular government the Egyp-
tian, and our author has given an Idea Oh "h"t
that government was to the inhabitants; the next
government will, as matter OF course De lookeu
askance at by the natives for awhile Al,
though the Khalifa's army was smashed
I'D at Omdurman, he still retains his influence
over great numbers and time must be given Tor
the Soudanese to learn that governments may uihcf
widely All they are conscious OF now Is THAI the
government they turned out has come oack again.
and they expect no better treatment from II 'han
they got from it formerly even il they do not ah''c
nate worse as a punishment for their rebellion. 1t
Is taken for granted that the possession oil slaves
will DO forbidden: this will give umorage TO the
Arabs, while, according to Neufeld, the slaves
themselves will no more appreciate or enjoy their
freedom than would many cagc-oted birds.
Upon this point author writes as follows
There is a considerable amount of Ignorance In
Europe on the subject OF slavery In Mohammedan
countries: but here coniine myself to the Soudnn
Slaveraiding should, OF course. be put down with
a strong hand, and when raider Is captured,
there should be no other formalty than that OF
loading the rife or aflxing the rope; the trial
might take place afterward, so that the fact OF
the execution might DO recorded. wish to speak
now only Of these who are already called slaves;
Say called for, in the majority of cases, their
slavery Is but name" Neuteld goes on to say that
II the Soudanese black DO liberated uncondihon-
ally no will, unless drafted into regiments, loaf
about and occasionally do little work for tho
sake OF a meal, but he will refuse 10 keep to any
work long unless some sort Of pressure Is brought
to bear upon him As q slave, his master must
keep him In food and clothes and also support his
wife and children in return for his services and.
h.In ba ia Looked after, he ia