The Florida star., 1902-11-07
AFRICA'S MAD MOLLAH
Influence Welded by England's
Foe In Somaliland.
CHIEF OF FANATIC MOsLEM HoRDEs
How He Utilized a Warship's Search
lights to Give HIS Followers Some
Evidence of His So Called Miracu-
lOus Power Difficulties of Cam
paigning Against the SOma1is.

| lous Power - Difficulties of Cam
paiEning Against the somaIis.
The Mad Mollah, against whom an
other punitive expedition OF British
troops is about to be started in SOmali-
land, in northeast Africa, has long been
an object Of suspicion by the war of
flee, says the London correspondent Of
the New York World. He and his fol-
lowers have opposed the development
of the interiOr of SOmaliland and have
constantly stffred up strife by raiding
and looting tribes which were under
British protection. Early last spring
he raided tribes within eighteen miles
Of Burao, and this despite the presence
of Il Byitish garrison. which was pow
erlesS to effect anything against the
mollahs rapidly moving force.
General Manning arrived at Alden a
! few days ago and at once began to
rush trained troops 10 SOmaliIand. 1t
is believed that Mad Mollah has a
force OF from 1900 to 1900 men,
many of whom are we'll armed and
mounted. The British cannot prompt
! ly put anything like as large 4 force
as that in the field. but expect to send
there a brigade 5000 or 1000 mem of
! troops from India.
the mOllah has been preaching the
jehad or holy war and has thus gained
a considerable following of MOslems
crazcd with religious fervor BY his
preaching he has gained such an in
flucnce over the tribesmen that he was
proclaimed mahdi by the MusSuImans
and Immediately started MohammC-
dan uprising.
Numerous mad mOllahS have been
heard from in the last decade, the
most prominent one hitherto being n
warrior in AfghaniStan. \ mollah is
Il Moliammedan priest or prophet, and
a particularly fanatical one easily ac-
quireS the title of mad" moIlah. The
Mad Mollah operating IN Somgl.land
is known TO his followers as Hail MU-
hammad Abdullah and belongs to the
Habr SuCliman Ogaden tribe. He mar
ricd into the Dolbahanta Ali Ghcri,
anon" whom he now lives at Kob
Fardod. 4 village inhabited by mol
lahS. days march east of Kcrritt
and about 40 mil from BrrhcTa. So
maitland. He iS Il man in the prime
of lir", dark color,d. tall and thin. and
has small goats beard. He has made
several pl"rimagcs Ia Mecca, and
Will" there attached himself To the
sect of Nuhammad Salih. whose dep
uty he claims Ia bc i'm Somalilaud
This ,sullah is of humble origin, but
gifted with considerable intelligence
AMI cunning. He claims 10 have been
commanded Ia preach The Jchad
thrnu-h 4 divine inspiration. During
the time he WIS melting his followers
tu rebellion against the British author
ity they demanded of him some cvi-
drncc uf his miraculous power. IIay-
INK tn" night before seen WNrShiD
tIaSh.u- its SrarchlightS, he summoned
his followers To the beach ut night,
and, fortunately for him. the warShip
flashed its ScarchliChtS over the shore
illuminating the country for great
distance. The mnllIh ut once pro-
claimed it rs testimony sent direct 10y
MolIHnmcd from Mecca.
This 81 impressed the trihcSm"n that
th'y VIII follow the m"llah ll.ndIy
may mere. ii" mas distributed among
IL" i"''""tFS PINK '"'"Eed Fi'"' "hi'h
lie mas "SSur'u li''" 50 I"IiS aS thcy
''-''' III liz. i'"'H I''."'r 'lI'E
l''' >''''N 81 hIt ''-alIISJ