FROM THE OUTPOSTS. A FALSE PROPHET IN THE SUDAN. BY LIEUT.-COLONEL C. E. VICKERY, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.F.A. THE war had been raging eight months, and black despair had settled in the hearts of those unfortunate soldiers who were serving in the Sudan at the outbreak of hostilities. It was a blazing hot afternoon at the end of April, nearly the hottest month of the year in Southern Kordofan, when the acting Governor sallied forth from his grass-roofed bungalow at the foot of the Talodi Hills to make up a game of polo three a side, consisting of the Bey, the only other European in the station, four Egyptian officers, and himself. The sun was blinding as he walked across the hard patch of gardud" soil over the tiny khor to the shade of a few trees where the ponies were waiting on the edge of the paradeground. A laconic "ready ready" to the Bey, fervent greetings to the Egyptian officers as if there had been a parting of years from them, and ponies were mounted and the game began. It was not a very scientific game, nor was it particularly exhilarating, but it produced perspiration and dulled for a moment one's thoughts. The game over, and the same greetings and prayers to Allah changed with the Egyptian officers, as on arrival, the two British officers walked over to the mess, where in long chairs outside in the compound they awaited refreshment and the Reuters. Both quickly arrived, and the smiling Dinkawi messenger handed the acting Governor a fat telegram in addition. The latter's hearty "Damn "caused the Bey to look up from the Reuters and ask, "What's the matter now?" "Nothing," was the reply, "only three pages of Foreign Office cipher marked urgent from Intelligence, Khartum." There was nothing for it but to rush back to the office and decipher it before dinner if possible. It was done at last, and the "civil" hurriedly bathed, dressed, and went back to the mess for dinner, for it had long been the custom for the Governor and inspectors to dine at the Battalion mess, and breakfast and lunch in their own quarters. There had been too many cipher telegrams and alarms during the last few months for the Bey to evince any curiosity, so the cook's altruistic little effort in the way of soup was first dealt with. "Anything on?" said the "Yes," was the reply," there it was said, divine instrucis." tions. The situation in S. Kordofan at the time was, if not critical, at least unsatisfactory. The Governor, with most of the Battalion and its British officers, and the camel corps from El Obeid, was away dealing with a powerful Nuba Mek who had chosen this time to defy the Government. Living in a great range of hills, badly watered, honeycombed with caves, he was no easy proposition to tackle. The German agents had managed to spread a good deal of propaganda throughout the country, while a resident Austrian mission, who ought to have been interned, did not help matters. Thus it was on account of the expedition that Talodi was left with two British officers only, the civil representative and the Bey, with the headquarters of the Battalion. Another inspector, who earned great fame later on the banks of the Euphrates, was on his way up, and was expected in two or three days. To return to the telegram, its contents were briefly communicated to the Bey. Apparently Khartum had information that a certain Fiki Ahmed, a Fellata from Sokoto, had recently returned from the pilgrimage to his temporary home on the Blue Nile. had developed there a great holiness, and had attracted a small following. He had subsequently left for J. Gedir He It was rumoured that he intended to proclaim himself the Mahdi. Now this was serious news indeed on three main counts. Firstly, owing to the war and German propaganda in the East, any situation that might develop at this time into a rising was especially to be feared. Secondly, the historical association of J. Gedir would have an enormous effect on any potential adherents, for it was from this mountain (J. stands for Jebel, "mountain ") that the Mahdi in 1882 had started his crusade which resulted in the conquest of the Sudan and the death of Gordon. Thirdly, the proclamation at any time of some fanatic that he was the Mahdi was always serious. The Mahommedans still await the Mahdi, "he who is guided aright," the last of the prophets, the hidden deliverer who will appear one day and free the world. The soil is always there in the East for the seed to be sown, and a tiny spark will soon be fanned to a flame of fanaticism costly and difficult to extinguish. The Sudan has always been a happy huntingground for false prophets since the Mahdi's success. To enter into a discussion or to trace the rise of the belief of Mahommedans in a final prophet would take too much space, but to the student of Islamic history it offers an attractive theme for The news from Khartum, Bosh of Gedir and the Sheikh then, was sufficiently disturb- of the adjoining hill, Gerada, ing. The Bey had no troops, were showing a great deal of there was no chance of getting attention to the Fiki. any, the civil had only a few police, and time was everything; for if the news were true, it would not be long before the Fiki got some adherents whose numbers would be instantly increased at the slightest sign of hesitation on the part of the Government. Obviously the first thing to do was to verify Khartum's information, for no corroboration had reached Talodi, from which J. Gedir was approximately sixty miles distant. The sub-Mamur was sent for and told to leave at 5 A.M. the following morning for Gedir with four police, to report on the situation. There was nothing more to be done, and the conversation returned to the usual subject, the war. Shortly after 9 P.M. good-nights were exchanged, and for the twentieth time it was agreed that some time next week they really would sit up for a leopard that was helping itself to goats from time to time from the suk (market quarter). The Mamur reported that the Fiki refused to come and see him, while Bosh equally refused to arrest him on behalf of the Government. He further reported that Fellatas from the whole countryside were rumoured to be on their way to join their countryman. In fact, the whole situation seemed promising. A hasty note brought the Bey over to a conference. He did not need to be told of the gravity of the situation and the vital importance of instant action. A soldier, the son of a soldier, he weighed in at once with some concrete proposal. A Sudanese battalion, as all who have served in the Egyptian Army know, has an enormous percentage of old soldiers, men over forty-five, who were enlisted after the various defeats of the Dervish Army between 1890 and 1898 that is, at the time of this story, sixteen to twenty-four years ago. The headquarters left with the Bey were all old men. However, on his own responsibility, he promised fifty of the best of them under two good officers to be ready to go wherever the civil ordered them. An urgent telegram was despatched to the Governor-General informing him of the Mamur's report, and recommending that the acting Gov with all available mounted police, supported by the infantry, to arrest the Fiki. An urgent message informing him of the situation was sent to the Governor, who was operating eighty miles away against the rebellious Mek; and another message sent by the acting Governor to his own district, a hundred miles away, for his police to move to Gerada near Gedir at once from the northeast by a forced march, and be ready to co-operate with the force from Talodi. these police, enlisted and trained for six years by the acting Governor, he was prepared to stake his last piastre. On It was agreed that the new inspector, new to the province, not to the Sudan, must arrive before any movement was made, and another message was sent to explain the situation and request him to hurry. The same evening a telegram was received from Khartum flatly refusing to sanction the proposals, on the ground that the police and infantry were insufficient in numbers to deal with the Fiki, and any reverse would be disastrous. This latter point was quite true, but a delay was almost as disastrous. The authorities had doubtless not forgotten the tragic death of that gallant and conspicuously able soldier, C., which had occurred some few months previously. C. had moved out against a false prophet who had proclaimed himself on the Blue Nile. He had his troops halted, had ridden forward to a low crest accompanied by a few orderlies to reconnoitre. The Fiki and his party had ridden forward at the same time and met C. on the crest-line, instantly spearing him. His death was avenged; but so little serves to light a fire in the East, that the death of a British officer in such circumstances is regarded as a sign of a feeble government. The orders from Khartum amazed us, as it was one of the articles of faith in the Sudan that a false prophet must be arrested at once to save the lives of many; for if he were allowed to be at large, he would certainly preach a jehad against the government, and so involve in time many Arabs in inevitable disaster. Another telegram was sent to Khartum urging reconsideration, but their reply received in the evening was adamant. That same evening a further report was received from the Mamur saying that he had been obliged to retire to another village owing to the threatening demeanour of the Fiki. The following morning X. arrived, and with his usual clarity of vision and unruffled calm made himself acquainted with the situation and the other various important matters outstanding in the Province. The acting Governor then arranged to leave at 5 P.M. that afternoon with all available mounted police, twenty in number, and The news from Khartum, Bosh of Gedir and the Sheikh then, was sufficiently disturb- of the adjoining hill, Gerada, ing. The Bey had no troops, were showing a great deal of there was no chance of getting attention to the Fiki. any, the civil had only a few police, and time was everything; for if the news were true, it would not be long before the Fiki got some adherents whose numbers would be instantly increased at the slightest sign of hesitation on the part of the Government. Obviously the first thing to do was to verify Khartum's information, for no corroboration had reached Talodi, from which J. Gedir was approximately sixty miles distant. The sub-Mamur was sent for and told to leave at 5 A.M. the following morning for Gedir with four police, to report on the situation. There was nothing more to be done, and the conversation returned to the usual subject, the war. Shortly after 9 P.M. good-nights were exchanged, and for the twentieth time it was agreed that some time next week they really would sit up for a leopard that was helping itself to goats from time to time from the "suk (market quarter). The Mamur reported that the Fiki refused to come and see him, while Bosh equally refused to arrest him on behalf of the Government. He further reported that Fellatas from the whole countryside were rumoured to be on their way to join their countryman. In fact, the whole situation seemed promising. A hasty note brought the Bey over to a conference. He did not need to be told of the gravity of the situation and the vital importance of instant action. A soldier, the son of a soldier, he weighed in at once with some concrete proposal. A Sudanese battalion, as all who have served in the Egyptian Army know, has an enormous percentage of old soldiers, men over forty-five, who were enlisted after the various defeats of the Dervish Army between 1890 and 1898 that is, at the time of this story, sixteen to twenty-four years ago. The headquarters left with the Bey were all old men. However, on his own responsibility, he promised fifty of the best of them under two good officers to be ready to go wherever the civil ordered them. An urgent telegram was despatched to the Governor-General informing him of the Mamur's report, and recommending that the acting Gov |