The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-09

tion. Such renegades are scattered
+, all the remote corners of the earth,
md the stress of battle always brings
Them to the forefront.
The British troops campaigning in
romalfland are learning to their cost
that the Mad MuIlah is assisted by a
white man thoroughly familiar with
the art OF modern warfare His name
IN Karl Inger. He was an officer in
the Austrian army until a year or
two ago
An English officer-Capt. Thorp, of
the Yorkshire Light Infantry-who
knew him in BudaPesth. speaks of
niger as an exceptionally brilliant SOL
der with a natural gift for tactics
and for commanding men. He used
10 speak bitterly against the English
in social circles in Buda-Pesth, and
was fond of expressing sympathy for
native races in their struggles with
civilization. He would rail by the hour
against the treatment of the Indians
in the United States of the Kaffirs in
South Africa and of the Hindoos in
India.
He disappeared from Buda-Pesth
shortly before the outbreak in Somali-
land. and his acquaintance were not
surprised to hear that he was fighting
as a lieutenant of the Mad Mullah.
Native spies reported that he adopted
the Mahomedan religion in Cairo
and was taken to the Mullah's camp
through Italian Somaliland by some
Arab pilgrims whom he met in Cairo
on their return from Mecca. 1t is as
serted that he had much to do with
stirring up the recent war and per-
suading the Mad Mullah to defy the
British.
Curiously enough, his old acquaint-'
ance, Capt. Thorp has been sec
olded" from his regiment and at
tached to the Somaliland Field Force
as a special service officer. Thus
they may meet face to face in battle.
In that case one or the other is likely
10 go under"-for Capt. Thorp, in
common with the other officers of the
British force. has vowed to risk the
utternost peril to slaY this traitor to
civilization, who is held responsible
for the terrible cutting-up of Col
Swaynes expedition some months
ago.
In British military circles it is said
that Lord Lansdowne, the British for
eign minister confidentially asked the
Austrian government whether it was
true that Inger had Joined the Mullah.
The Austrian government replied that
there was reason to believe he had,
and added a hope that if he was caught
he would be shown no mercy. That
was rather superf1uous. The British
officers are not likely to allow him
much time to say his prayers. But
they will first have to catch their hare,
and by all accounts that seems to be a
hard job.
niger appears to be gifted with the
qualities that impress the savage
mind. He is skillful in planning am
bushes and stratagems, and is the
bravest of the brave in the heat of bat
tie. Over and over again he has been
seen in the forefront of the Mullah's
forces, and many times his weight in
lead has been fired at him, but he
seems to bear a charmed life.
He is exceedingly valuable to the
Mullah because, knowing the effects of
rife and Maxim fire, he prevents the
Somalis from madly facing it and be-
ing moved down like corn, as the
Dervishes were at Omdurman. He
takes care that they shall fight the
British troops in the jungle under con-
dltons which makes the superior arms
Of the latter ineffective. British Off
N'tS say llldl tile LiOhOlc III OOIildiAidLiO
would have been over long ago but for
Karl Inger. If he were caught by ma
tive troops uncontrolled by an officer
he would probably die by slow torture.
Zanzibar spy who has penetrated
10 the Mullahs camp asserts that In
ger has made up his mind to shoot
himself rather than be captured.
The De Wet of the SOudan.
Another renegade from civilization
and one of the most notorious-is
Osman Digna, the DeWet of the Sou
dan. He was the right-hand man of
NE Mahdi and afterwards of the
hhalifa- Ever since 1882 he has been
thorn in the side of the British. For
many years he was supposed 10 be an
Arab chieftain. but Slatin Pasha found
out that he is a white man. born of
scottish parents in Cairo.
1t is said that he was in the employ
iment of the government of Egypt in
MS youth, but was cashiered for theft
ana blackmail on the complaints of
some European merchants in Cairo.
burning for revenge, he went south
ana joined the Mahdi Immediately the
latter raised the standard of revolt
against Egypt in 1882. He soon be-
came known as the best general of
the Dervishes, inf1icting defeat after
defeat on the British and Egyptian
troops, massacring whole armies, cap
.urIng cities and devastating many
hundreds of miles of country. There
was never a more relentless warrior.
ne took no prisoners, spared no neu-
UaIs Wherever his swift cavalry and
Ss'IHel corps went they left trail OF
Isolation behind them.
'easeless efforts were made to cap
euIe or Kill Osman Digna, but all with
out success. A former captive in the
amp of the Khalifa says that an
H"ESsnian whom he had injured stab
ma Osman violently over the heart.
ne knife broke in two, but Osman
Tds uninjured. Naturally the ignorant
~, wishes thought he was invulnerable.
ne simple explanations that he wore
coat Of very fine chain armor under
British officer recently told how
fought in hand-to-hand combat
n'lH Osman when the Dervishes broke
ne British square at Tel-el-Kebir.
got a thrust with my sword right
n'lHe on his chest" said the officer,
.-u II should have gone through
nm but his COMPOUNDED chain armor
turned the point OF the weapon. A
-oh OF the Dervishes then swept us
part. ! remember him as a very tall
"a powerful man, with a most fero-
5s expression. He fought like a
imam. His skin r. tanned brown
we sun. but he looks like a white
AEht blue.
PIottsr for War.
,,, ~ hen the power OF the Khaiifa was
broken at omdurman In 1928