Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-11-15
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AFRICA'S MAD MULLAH.
influence Welded by England's Foe
In SOmaliland.

influence Welded by England's Foe
In Somaliland.
The Mad Mullah, 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 stirred 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 British garrison, which was pow
erless to effect anything against the
mullah's rapidly moving force.
General Manning arrived at Alden a
few days ago, and at once began to
rush trained troops to Somaliland. 1t
Is believed that Mad Mullah has a
force of from $4,000 to $4,000 men,
many Of whom are we'll armed and
mounted. The British cannot prompt
ly put anything like as large a force
as that in the field, but expect to send
there a brigade $1,000 or 1000 men) of
troops from India.
The mullah has been preaching the
jehad or holy war and has thus gained
considerable following of Moslems
crazed with religious fervor. BY his
preaching he has gained such an in
f1uence over the tribesmen that he was
proclaimed mahdi by the Mussulmans
and Immediately started a Mohamme-
dan uprising.
Numerous mad mullahs have been
heard from in the last decade, the
most prominent one hitherto being a
warrior in Afghanistan. A mullah is
a Mohammedan priest or prophet, and
a particularly fanatical one easily ac-
quires the title of mad" mullah. The
Mad Mullah operating in Somaliland
is known to his followers as Hail Mu-
Habr Sueliman Ogaden tribe. He mar
ried into the Dolbahanta Ali Gheri,
among whom he now lives at Kob
Fardod, a village inhabited by null
lahs, a days march east Of Kerritt,
and about 10 miles from Berbera, So
maitland. He is a man In the prime of
life, dark colored, tall and thin, and
has a small goats beard. He has made
several pilgrimages to Mecca, and
while there attached himself to the
sect Of Muhammad Salih, whose dep
uty he claims to be in Somaliland.
This mullah is Of humble origin, but
gifted with considerable intelligence
and cunning. He claims to have been
commanded to preach the Jehad
through a divine inspiration. During
the time he was melting his followers
to rebellion against the British author
ity they demanded Of him some evil
dence Of his miraculous power. Hav-
ing the hight before seen a warship
flashing it's searchlights, he summoned
his followers to the beach at night,
and fortunately for him, the warship
flashed it's searchlights over the shore,
Illuminating the country for great
distance. The mullah at once pro-
claimed it as testimony sent direct by
Mohammed from Mecca.
This so impressed the tribesmen that
they will follow the mullah blindly
anywhere. He has distributed among
his followers pink colored rice, which
he has assured them so long as they
fight in the holy war will render their
persons and horses invulnerable against
the bullets of the infidels. He is a
past master in intrigue, and by prom
ises and gifts and by arranging mar
riages between his followers and other
tribes he has gained a considerable
following.
The difficulties which will confront
any large force organized by General
Manning will be by no means incon-
siderable There is no definite object
i've. The mullah and his followers
have no fixed place of abode, but usual
ly live in the villages of tribes they
have raided. Much of the mullah's
wealth consists of herds of camels and
fiocks of sheep and goats, and 1t is
the idea of striking and destroying
these that the expedition will have in
mind. Army officers believe the null
lah and his followers will always be
found near the grazing grounds of
these herds.
Before any effective work can be
done the force must cross a strip of
waterless desert known as the Haud,
200 miles in breadth. Except at the
coast, no food supplies other than meat
can be obtained. The only method Of
transportation for supplies. ammuni-
ton, military stores, ETC., is by camel,
involving a climb from the coast to a
vast inland plateau some 5000 feet
above the sea level.
The Somali is endowed with wonder
full powers of endurance, resembling in