The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-06-26
MAY BE A%NNlHiLATED.
Nothing Has Been Heard Of a Large
British Army in somaiiIand
for Three Weeks.

for Three Weeks.
London, June ga British army is
lost in Somaliland. For three weeks
nothing a been heard from General
Manning or Colonel Cobbe, both of
whom are In command OF large forces,
and the gravest apprehension Is felt
for their safety. It is not even know
whether they have succeeded in join
Ing forces, and intelligence of their
movements is long overdue.
FROM Alden come disQuieting reports
thai h British have beer surrounded
and are In danger OF determination by
the followers Of tina Mad Mullan, II that
disaster has not already overtaken
them.
1t Is known that q force OF L400 Ably
sinnians has zone to the British relief,
but whether or not they arrived in
time, or whether their assistance could
avail against the fanatics, Is 3 sey.
ious question.
armed and past experience hal shown
that they are no mean antagonists. A
few weeks g they wiped out a Brit
tsh square, but hat disaster was trivial
compared to the n that Is now
feared.
War Office Knows Little.
In the house of m yesterday,
Secretary Broderick was Intercepted
on h subject Of the Somaliland oper-
ations, but could give little tnforma-
tion. He said that General Manning
had presumably Joined forces with Col
onel Cobbe. but admitted that the war
office really knew nothing about it
General Manning, he saio, had not
asked for refnforcements, but he gov
eminent had ordered $500 camels from
India to Alden, whence they were to be
shipped for his use.
Unofficial dispatches from Alden state
that three companies OF British infantry
and four companies of Indian infantry
will start for Somaliland today. Mounted
infantry are en- route from India, and the
force for renewing the campaign Will,
shortly amount to 800 British, 1000 In
dfans and 1000 natives. Meanwhile E400,-
900 OF the R50e, 900 voted for the original
expedition has been spent without any ap-
parent result Of Importance.
The Muliah's Tactics.
Striking when he Is least expected.
elud1ng his pNrsuers with a swiftness that
laughs at capture, never risking a bat
tie unless the advantage Is all on his side
these are the tactics OF the Mad Mvllah,
the DeWet OF h desert In four years
he has raised a following which number
tens OF thousands. He has administered
crushing defeats to British d-etachments
sent out against him, white his foes have
never won more than a partial victory.
The Mad Muliah's name is Hail Mu-
manned Abduffah. A hail is one who has
made the hal or pilgrimage to Mecca, q
Journey which the Mullah has taken three
times. Maha1nmed be the name Of the
prophet, and Abduiiah means servant of
Ged." He was educated to be a mullah,
or priest. At one time he was friendly to
the British, but his hatred OF Christians
was aroused to a fanatical extent by find
ing some French missionaries in Somali-
land trying to bring up children in the
Catholic faith. He commenced preaching
In Alden, where he attracted a great deal
OF attention among the faithful. A little
later his actions were reported to the
British government, and he was ordered
to leave
He retired to Somaliland. to the inland
desert known as the Hand. Onoe safe In
THIS arid waste, he proclaimed a Jehad, or
holy war, against the Christians, and
started q series of raids on the neighbor-
ing MISUNDERSTANDING, British and
Italian Somaltland
The murlah Is q typical eastern dema-
gegue, fierce and fanatfcal. Discomfort
against Christian interference with their
religion and the aggression of European
nations are the texts upon which this
desert Demosthenes arouses his fierce
hordes to action.
Tho MuHah's Personality.
He is in the prime Of life, tail and spare,
and his faoa, 18th its African mo1ding,
shows strength, ferocity and virility. He
wears a small Eoatee. In spite Of his low
birth he has oun 1t possible to rise on
account of his owe as an orator. Sim
cere in the belief that he Is semi-divine In
character, he has played upon the super
sdtion of his followers until they look up
on him as the earthly representative OF
tho prophet
He has worked what seemed to his fol-
lowers to be miracles. One night a Brit
ish warship Off the Somalt coast was play
ing her searchlight upon the land. AS the
mullah's adherents beheld the CLEAN OF
the new star they appealed to their lead
er to explain the phenomenon.
The mullah had seen searchlights in
Alden
ut is the eye OF Allah searching for me.
the new Mahomet," he said.
AT this moment the weird rays flooded
the camp Of the raiders. The blacks fell
on their faces, crying to the mullah:
Thou are truly the elect, the chosen,
the master. We place ourselves entirely
at the disposition of thy WILL"