The Washington times., 1901-08-11
THE MAD MULLAH.
Some of the Actions That Led to the
Expedition Against Him.

Expedition Against Him.
Now that the mail is bringing to this
country accounts of the severe reverse
which the Mad Mullah has recently re-
ceived at the hands of our troops in So
maitland, some account of the actions
which led up to the expedition against
him is of considerable interest. A COM
Dlete history of his rise and progress is
contained in a white paper which has just
been issued upon Somaliland. The follow
ing connected account is taken from its
pages:
Hail Muhammed Abdullah belongs to
the Habi Sulieman Ogaden tribe; he mar
ried into the Dolbahanta Ali Gheri. He
is a man still in the prime of life, but
has only recently become a dominant fac
tor in the military and political situation
| of the protectorate.
AT the beginning of 1899, however, the
| Mullah. on the plea of theft OF camels
committed by the Habr Yunis twho live
within the protectorate). raided the terri
/ tory Of that tribe, occupied the town of
| Burao, and assumed an attitude antago-
nistic to the protectorate government,
! giving out that he intended to rule the
| interior, leaving the coast to the Euro
| peans. He is stated to have forced per-
| sons to join his sect, to have threatened
| expeditions against tribes which opposed
! him. and to have levied blackmail gem
! orally. By these means he, for the mo-
ment, established himself as a considera-
I BILE power in the Dolbahanta country. an
integral part of the protectorate.
| ''In April, 1899, the Mullahs immediate
| following was estimated by Colonel Sad
Ter as 5000 men, but he was then believed
to be in possession of only sixty modern
rifles and a small quantity of ammuni-
ton.
In the following August the Mulah
again raided the eastern sections or Habr
YAM tribes. and reoccupied Burao with
force estimated at 100 men, with a
large proportion of horse and was then
believed to possess about two hundred
rifles and a limited amount of ammur'-
ton. He gave himself out as the Mahdi
and despatched men to all the Habr Toll
jaala tribes. ordering them to join him
at Burao. 1t was even rumored that he
intended to advance ON Berbera. On this
the despatch of a British expedition to
deal with the Mullah was proposed by
the consul general, who then considered
that a force of .one hundred mounted
men and three hundred infantry would be
adequate 1t was calculated that the
Mullah could have concentrated four
thousand men to meet this force, for
which Burao was proposed as the objec-
tive. Delay was. however. deemed expe-
dent by the Government, having regard
TO the state of affairs in other parts of the
world.
In December, 1899. the Mullahs follow
ing dwindled; there were indica tons that
the Dolbahanta was getting too hot for
him. and he retired across the protector
ate frontier to three or four days march
south of Bohotele. in the Ogaden country. 4
Here he busted himself in trying to COM
bine the Ogaden tribes against the tribes
in the protectorate who had abandoned
his cause, and in footing caravans.
In March, 1900 an Abyssinian expedi-
ton of about fifteen hundred well-armed
men was despatched from Harrar into
the Ogaden country TO deal with the Null
lah, bat his forces evaded it, The Abys-
sinian then fell back. after looting the
country.
ION this the Mullah. retaining with him
his own immediate following of one thou
sand men (half of whom were by now
equipped with rifles, and his ponies. sent
forward six thousand spearmen Chiefly
of the Calais and Harrari tribes) to attack
the Abyssinian force, which had halted at
a watering place, and there intrenched in
a strong double zareba. In the attack,
which was delivered in broad daylight
with much boldness, the Somalis are re-
ported to have retaken all the footed
stock, and although they had not sin
gle rifle, even to have penetrated the "a
reba, but they were eventually beaten
off with a loss of . $50 men. The Abyssin-
ianS made no attempt to pursue and are
to have been inspired with d
dread of the Somalis.
on June Colonel Harrington tele-
graphed from Jibuti that Menelek propos-
ed a combined movement of British and
Abyssianlan forces against the Mullah !
Colonel harrington recommended the ac-
;eptance of this proposal as our political
opponents represent US as encourag ing
The Mullahs action.
In August the tribes affected by the
\lullahs raids complained bitterly to the !
'ohsul general that unless we protect |
heir summer grazing grounds from the !
attacks of the Mullah their stock will t
'tarVe. as the grass on the winter graz !
ng ground is insufficient for both s,iIIu-
'er and winter requirements These tribes !
lad fallen back from their grazing
round, ana We're far from satisfied with
ne lew rifles which the consul general 1
ssued to defend their stock Colonel
'adier, Indeed reported that they are los
tS confidence in our ability to protect :
mem ana unless that confidence is main
alned We shall not be able to count on ,
helr allegiance, and they will be driven ,
1ullah.' d
ON the day following the consul gen I
RAJ toltgraphed that the position, owing ,
. the Mullah movement, is unsupporta- !
ne, ana That IT joint operations with the
AbSsslnlans cannot be arranged. he must Z
move out alone with all available forces | q
M tribal levics from the Ishak tribe TO | ,
unish the Mullahs allies around Boho- !
Gle [
Colonel Sadler suggested raising ma I
I've leNies TO deal with the 'intolerable | Il
ituation.' .
on November the consul general tel .
graphed that he heard from Harrington 1
hat Menelek would cooperate with a ii
trong force. and he therefore strongly o
ecomended immediate concerted action -
D drive the Mullah out of Ogaden. He I
roposed to raise Il levy of 1000 men (nf
nom two companies would be mounted o
attn proper complement of British Off d
ers; Captain Swayne tc be given local I.
ink to command the whole force" 81
These local levies were accordingly II
lised and Differed by Colonel Swayne n
nd seventeen British officers. As We t,
ow know, this leayening of British lead +,
rs was enough TO give the raid levies !
lch superiority over tTibesmen of eX- "
city the same blood as TO inhict n crush p
lS defeat on a force reclsoned at sixteen | al
mes their own number. This is in ol
eed, a striking tribute to the organizing -,
ma leading faculty possessed by the y
ritish officer over native leyies-Londop W
hronicle. l.