Irvine Express and North Ayrshire Post. — 1885-09-11 (Irvine, Strathclyde, Scotland)

ALLEGED GREAT MAIIOMNIEDAN RISING-EXTRA. ORDINARY STORY FROM \VEST AFEICA.--Mr Lewis, the United Stares Consul at Sierra Leone, has furnished his Government with a long statement of an alleged great Mahommedan rising in West Africa, which is to sweep the whole of the West Coast, from the Sherbro river to the Niger, and rid it of Paganism and the other obstructions to Mahommedan power. The leader of this great undertaking is said to be one Samuda, a Mandingo. According to Mr Lewis's statement, Samuda is a is a man of remarkable intelligence, and five yeais ago conceived the idea that he was called by God to rid his country of all hindrances to the religion of Mahomet. Up to the time of Mr Lewis's writing_ the 14th July—Samuda was said to have organised an army of 100,000 men. Wherever he went the Mahommedan youth flocked to his banner. The tribe to which Samuda belongs resides in the interior, and one of the objects of his mission is also to clear the way to the coast of all the intermediate tribes whom he believes are the great barriers to the development of the interior country. Samuda's vast army is now divided into three corps—one to operate in the district of the Upper Niger, the second in the interior of Siberia, and the third in the region of the Sherbro river. The corps which is operating in the district of the Niger is said to have recently driven the French troops from the region of Boure. They were at latest accounts proneeding to Bammaks, a large town on the Niger, occupied by the French about three years ago, and fortified by them. No particulars seem to have been received of the progress of the corps inland of Siberia, but as regards the Sherbro army, it was said this was but a few miles to the north-west of Sierra Leone. This army had secured, either by conquest or voluntary act, the submission of all the trsbes and countries in its march of about 500 miles. The largest and most important Pagan kingdom on that side of the Niger was said by Mr Lewis to be Soomliina, of which Talaba, a large commercial city was the capital. For the last sixty years the Fulah Mahommedans had been trying by diplomacy to subdue the place, but without effect. Last year Samuda's army in overwhelming numbers surrounded the place, and called upon the inhabitants to surrender to Islam. This the King and people refused to do. The King collected his family together, and held a consultation with his great chiefs. He said he would rather die than embrace Mahommedanisin, but left it to the option of his chiefs to take any course they liked. They, however, all preferred to share the fate of the monarch. After a siege of five months' duration, the King, all the Royal family, and the chicfs entered the powder store, which they blew up, all inside being killed. The city then was reduced by flames. The Hooboo country, which had bean a source of much terror to all peaceful traders for the last thirty years, was also conquered by Samuda's arms. The predatory King of Hooboo—Abal—was taken prisoner. His arms, legs, and head were severed from his body, and sent to the various countries which had suffered from the murderous and predatory acts of Abal's followers. Samuda, it was said, was confining his attention to the Timush and Sherbro districts, countries had been in constant ferment through the incessant tribal wars.  A DELIGHTrCL