The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-21

has tricked and tracked and duped the
best of them, played them treachery
for treachery and outWitted them at
their own game.
The very fact that he was to return
there, if published in Cairo would be
waited across the deserts like an Ill
story ever travels, more swiftly than
the telegraph wires even could carry
it.
Reports to hand announcing that the
new Mahdi is in the saddle are arous-
ing more alarm throughout the Soudan
than has been felt during the last five
yearS-in fact since the departure OF
Sirdar Kitchener from these parts.
The present Mahdi Senussi is by no
means a new element in African affairs,
he having been a factor in them for
the last forty years. 81 ~
He is longer in the field than any
other leader of the Sahara and was
power before either of the two Mahdis
who have been swept away by the
French and English generals had at
tanned any Importance. r
Central Africa AHame.
The whole northern part of Central
Africa is said to be aflame at the pres
ent time as result of the propaganda
of SenuSsi, whose army of 10000 train
6Q warriors, wen SuppllSd Will
TIM rifles and cannon, can easily be
swelled to four times or even six times
that number when the word is given
for all TO flock to the prophets stand
ard. "a -
The latest news isato the effect that
SenuSSi is advancing toward the Nile
with the purpose Of Selling Khartoum,
at which point he expects to raise ire
mendous enthusiasm among the natives
0Ioh 1u hn o
his purpose. The Sheikh's forces have
been slowly moving eastward for some
time and the Egyptian Soudan is al
ready we'll under the influence OF his
spell.
In it's progress toward the Nile the
mystery and fanaticiSm of MahdlSm
find fitting field for expansion. The
jehad recently issued against all whites
by SenuSsi is treasured by the faith
full as a veritable word from heaven
and Moslems everywhere are girding
themselves for the fight they feel to
be inevitable unless Africa is to be
given up Internationally to the white.
The building of the Assouan dam and
the pushing along of European rail-
ways have been watched with jealous
eye by these sons of the desert, who
see that If the Cape to Cairo railway
is once finished and a few other branch
lines established Mahdism may as well
abandon hope.
Senussi expects to establish a mighty
Moslem Kingdom in the heart Of Afr1-
ca, himself to be the Napoleon of the
Sahara. Senussi declares himself to
be direct descendant OF the great
Mahomet. He has studied for forty
years, and more, the temperament OF
every faction with which he has to
deal in his struggle for final supremacy
even to the fellaheen. He has watched
the rise and downfall of other prophets
and has grown correSpondingly wary.
While yelling his splendor from the
multitude in the wastes of Jehoub, hold
ing court there and instituting craft
with mysterious rites, with secret
signs and symbols, he has been using
the caravan routes as European gen
erals would use their telegraph wires
and and, has reached cache to every corner OF
Against the Frank.
He has taken upon his own shoulders
the cause of the Faithful against the
Frank. He has sent out missionaries
for years past preaching holy war IN
British, Egyptian and<F'rank- territory
alike. - o
Throughout the Soudan the attitude
Of the various sects has been favorable
to the new Mahdi, as the falLh OF the
tribesmen has been weakened by the
establishment of native civil service
Since the Kitchener regime things have
not been as we'll managed IN the SOU
dan by the European and Egyptian Tui-
ers as >formerly. The Arabs, IN MS
time, were in the habit of going to the
British commanders to have their dlI-
ferences settled, but now seek the sner-
ifs instead. These men are getnns
back all their old influence ana Mita