The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-09
By JOHN KINGSTON.

( Osman Digna escaped the great
slaughter of the Dervish boat, riding
off the field with small body of
picked horsemen before the battle
was over. Lord Kitchener was Bit
terly disappointed, and sent expedi-
ton after expedition in pursuit of
him. Most of his comrades, including
the Khalifa, were captured and slain
but Osman always escaped.
He is now dwelling with the Mabas
Mohammedan negro race who are
the ruling tribe in the kingdom of
Wadai.
Natives assert that soon after Os-
man found refuge there he conspired
with Abu Said, a son of the former
King of Wadai, to assassinate the
reigning king. The conspiracy was
successful. Abu Said now rules over
Wadai, with Osman as his prime min
! lister. They are supported by hordes
OF the finest and most fanatical fight
ing men in Africa, including the rem
nants of the Khalifa's forces.
The English and French authorities
in the Soudan expect that Wadai will
give them serious trouble in the near
future, now that Osman is there.
They fear it will be the center of
another outbreak as formidable as the
Mahdi's.
By an Anglo-F French agreement
| made in March, 1899, Wadai was as
| signed to France. But in Africa it is
one thing to assert an authority and
another thing to enforce it. Osman
told the natives of the agreement. and
naturally they became indignant and
resolved to fight the hated unbeliever.
But Osman restrained them. He has
| learned by experience the power of a
ClV1l1Z66 nd h.
10 nght 1t again until he has a reason
able hope of success.
Inc new Sultan of Wadai has ac-
cepted turkish Suzerainty, and in re-
turn the Sultan of Turkey has refused
TO recognize the Anglo French agree
ment of 1899, and is lending his now
ertul influence as ''Caliph of the Faith
IuI' in support of the plots of Osman
Those who know the man declare
that Osman, inspired by his indom-
liable hatred of his own race. viii
never rest until he has stirred m an
other war and drenched Central At
RIGA in blood
The Dark Continent" is full of
these romantic stories of traitors to
! civilization. One of the strangest is
! that of Capt. Voulet. He was a French
military officer in the employment of
the governor general of French West
| africa. He was given command of a
: column of native troops in 1899 and or
dered to march towards Lake Tchad
| and explore the vast stretch of new
| territory which had just been assign
ed to France. by the Anglo-French
| agreement previously referred to. 1t
was an important mission, and Capt
Voulet might have made a name for
himself and become a second Mai.
Marchand.
Frenchman's Dream of Empire.
But he had more ambitious dreams,
He was fired by the example of
Rabah, the black Napoleon" who,
starting in life as a slave of Zebehr
PaSha, became the greatest conqueror
and monarch in Africa, and who was,
at that very moment, successfully
lighting the French.
Let US" he said to his subordinate,
Capt. Chanoine, become kings in
our own right. This country belongs
to the men who can take it. Let US
carve out an empire for ourselves.
low US in everything without asking
the reason why"
Chanoine agreed. They Immediately
threw off their allegiance to France
and attacked village after village, tribe
after tribe, with their column of troops.
Some French non-commissioned Off
GERS who objected to this treachery
were promptly murdered. Natives
were massacred by hundreds and
thousands, until the two renegades es-
tablished a reign of terror over a wide
area of the country.
News of these strange doings soon
reached the French Colonial Office,
and a small expedition, under Lieut.
Col. Klobb and Lieut.. Meunier, was
despatched to find out the truth. K1obb
overlook Voulet at Sinder. in Daman-
gar, half way between the Niger and
Lake Tchad He asked for barley,
but Voulet refused to allow him to
approach, threatening to fire on his
party. Klobb advanced. shouting that
he had come in peace and would not
fire. Voulet received him with a vol
ley. Klobb and most of his escort
fell dead. Meunier, severely wounded
was borne away into the jungle by the
survivors, and escaped to tell the grim
story to the authorities.
Vou1et and Chanoine were out
lawed and a strong expedition sent
against them. Before it could reach
them they were shot by some of their
own men whom they had brutally
logged. The natives who had been
under their command gave themselves
up to the authorities. So ended Capt
Voulet's mad dream Of becoming an
African Emperor.
Some British Renegades.
Renegade whites fought for the
Ashantis against the British during
Sir Francis SCOTS expedition in 1885,
and also when Sir Frederic and Lady
Hodgson were besieged in Kumassi
in 1900
On the latter occasion a white. who
was believed to be an Englishman,
was frequently seen trying to induce
the Ashantis to assault the entrench-
ments of Kumassi. The British off,
GERS risked their lives over and over
again attempting to STAY him, but
without success. They agreed to say
nothing about this renegade in their
accounts of the siege. He disap-
peared after the relief of Kumassi, and
has not been heard of since
Renegade whites have often fought
against the British flag in the little
wars on the northwestern frontier of
India.
An officer who was dismissed in dis
grace from the Indian army for having
told falsehoods in an official report, Is
known now to be living with a Pathan
tribe. He is believed to have fire.
duently fought against his former
comrades.
A former officer of the Russian
army named Leontief is in the service
Of the Negus Of Abyssinia. Opinions
are divided as to whether he is simply
a renegade white, as he appears to be
on the surface, or a secret agent Of
the Cars.
During the Philippine campaigns sew
Ar-arfaor daaarfera fought In the