ARABI PASHA AND EL MAHDI.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1657, 6 March 1884, Page 3

ARABI PASHA AND EL MAHDI.

Ihe Constantinople correspondent of the Morning Post has had an opportunity of talking with a gentleman who lately arrive.3 from Oeylon, and during tHe last few months hadinany and continuous opportunities of seeing and c nferring with Arbai Pasha This gentleman said:—" The victory of the Mahdi would cause no surprise whatever to Arabi Pasha, who over and over again repeated to me that his influence was very great, and that England ought to be prepared to see him 'march 'some day "bi* other oii Cairo." Arabi Pasha said that nothing had struck him so much as the complete ignorance of Europeans as to the power of Mohammedanism; What Europeans were pleased to call fanaticism was a spirit of self-sacrifice and devotion, combined with courage and organisation, which must make Europe . tf'emble. ' It was that sentiment, and not his personal ambition, which had made him in the space of a few weeks master of the situation in Egypt. His name had become popular- all-over .the Mohammedan world, and as a pfoof of this Arabi Pasha showed piles of volumes which during his exile in Ceylon had been filled by. the most influential personages in India, who still continue going to Ceylon, as on a pilgrimage, to confer with the promoter of the Egyptain rebellion^and write their names

and words expressing hope in . a speedy triumph in books whichare purposely kept iv the house occupied by Arabi. Ever since his arrival in Ceylon Arabi. Pasha expressed theopinico that the Mahdi would triumph, as he knew better than Europeans appear to do the spirit of the population, whose dread of being overpowered by Christian nations is indescribable. .