Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-22

lsh TO follow small band OF their
warriors IN the midst Of the mollah's
main army did the rest
General Mannlngs camel corps once
mutinled and nullitied the hard work
Of months.
The Somalls have an enormous adj
vantage over their enemy In that they
are able to fight and march on the
scantiest Of rations They viii make a
forced march Of seventy miles on four
pounds OF dates and a quart Of water
per man. on longer marches they take
two pounds of dates and a pint Of wa
ter for each day Their little ponies
are quite as hardy as the masters and
have been known 10 80 two days with
out water
That horn Of the African east coast
opposite Alden has from time immemo-
rial enjoyed so evil reputation that IN
the division OF Africa among the pow
ers it was left practically untouched
save rs regards the coast line. True,
there has been a British a French. an
Italian aud an Abyssinian Somaliland,
but the rule Of none Of these four ma
tions has extended In far from the
shore. As long as the natives made no
undue attempt 10 interfere with the
trade which found It's outlet and inlet
at the vario"o coast stations they were
allowed to fight among themselves as
much as they pleased, but with the rise
of the mollah some FIVE years ago trou-
bic began TO brew.
The Mad Mollah Il a Mohammedan
priest belonging 20 one Of the several
orders OF dervishcs, His name Is Mo-
manned Abdulah He Is about thirty
two years old, tail and vigorous, with
regular features, a typical Somali
when he first appeared on the Somali-
land horizon be had made four times
the long and difficult pilgrimage 10
Mecca and had edited all those with
whom he had come In contact by his
picty and educauoni He was the son
Of an Ogaden shepherd and was born
among the herds. Here ne was found
by Moslem priest, who offered 10 buy
him from his parents and bring him
M In "A religious life He made his FIRST
pilgrimage when he was about twenty
At Mecca he made such an impression
upon Mohammed Salah the supreme
head OF the Moslem fraternity Tanqua
Mahadia that the latter kept him with
him several years as his favorite pupil.
The Europeans were at first inclined
90 treat Abdullah's pretensiOus with
derislon re was STYLED the new NAH
al" and 40 Alden he was given the fool
ish and misleading nickname Mad
Mollah,' The word mollah Is a legiti-
mate one, meaning priest Fanatic
though he IS. the Mad Mollah is well
endowed with the characteristics which
make a leader OF men. lie rs an ADEPT
az intrigue. and his great cunning has
enabled him TO confirm IN the minds OF
his followers the belief that he Is act
ing under the direct instructions Of the
prophet IL is related OF him that when
az the beginning OF the present un-
pleasantness he was called upon hy
some doubter 90 give his people a sign
from heaven he assembled them at
night on the shore. near which o Brit-
ish cruiser was living. he had seen the
war ships search light spying out the
country. and he alone OF the Somalis
knew what 10 WAS. Waiting until the
beam Of light was thrown fun upon
the camp, he announced that N was a
message from M0hammed directing
him 10 begin a holy war; or 'jehad.
against the lnhdol Based upou super
stition. but REINFORCED hy great per-
sonailty, his Influence over his army Is
greater than that Of q genral over the
best drilled troops Just what he Is
fighting Tor o. matter Of doubt. u
may BE- for somali independence Tor
war Tor wars sake or for personal ag-
grandizement. but Il IS probable that
fanaticai hatred of the unbclicycr Is
the mollah's handspring