THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN. THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 140, 15 June 1896, Page 4

THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN. THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN.

7 , SL-fciN PASHA'S NEW B6ot - THE KHALIFA AND HIS, DOMINIONS. , Rudolf C. Slatin Pasha, who was , ijong a prisoner in the Soudan during the Mahdi's life time, has written a nook entitled "Fire and Bword in ..the Soudan." The following deißoription is given of Khalifa Abdullahi, the Mahdi's successor, and the present ruler : — He joined the Mahdi at the age of thirty-five, and was then a slim and active, though powerfully built man ; but latterly he has become very stout, and. his lightness of gait has long since disappeared. He is now forty-nine years of age, but looks . considerably older ; and the hair of his beard is almost white. At times the expression of hiß faco is one of charming amiability, but more generally it is one of dark sternness, in •which tyranny and unscrupulous resolution are unmistakably visible, ' He is rash and quick-tempered, acting often without a moment's con- ■ .'* sideration, and when in this mood even his own brother dares not I. approach him. His nature is sus- , picious to a degree to every one, his nearest relatives and members of his household included. He admits that loyalty and fidelity are rare qualities, - and that those who have to deal with him invariably conceal their real feelings in order to gain their own ends, He is most susceptible to flattery, and consequently receives an inordinate amount from every one. fco one dares to speak to him without referring, in the most fulsome ?• 'terms, to his wisdom, power, justice, ' courage, generosity, and truthfulness. - He accepts this absurd adulation with the ; greatest pleasure and satisfaction; but woe to him ! who in the '.slightest degree offends his dignity. ... i- i Abdullahi's pride and confidence in his own powers are in- , ! deaoribable. He fihnlyj believes J that he is . capable of doing anything and everything; and, as he pretends to act -, nnder Divine inspiration, he never hesitates to appropriate the merits of .others as his own. , , . His ."• character is a strange 'mixture of dalice and cruelty. Ha delights to annoy and cause disappointment, , -. and he is never happier itaan when he. has bronght people to complete destitution by confiscating their property, throwing tuemlinto chains, robbing families wholesale, seizing ■ and ezeontiQg all persons of tribal influence and authority.and reducing ' ' entire races to a condition of powerless impotence. - *..; During the Mahdi's life-time he, -was entirely -responsible for the" of the proceedings enacted in his name, and for the merciless , 'manner; in. which- he i treated hiß ' defeated enemies, It was Abdullahi Who gave the order for the storming 7 :'of Khartoum; and it was he who flubsequemly authorised the whole- ■ 'sale massacre of the men, women, • and children. ... In all inter- ; , course with, him, he demands the 7 -. moat complete humility and submission. 1 Persons entering his presence j ; 'stand in front of him j with their . hands crossed over their 'breasts and fheir eyes lowered to »Jhe ground, •''"^waiting permission to be seated. In ' ' his audience-chamber, heis generally „, .seated on an angareb, oyer which a ,' palm-mat is spread and- his sheep* ; ;' jskin stretohed out on it, whilst he leans against a roll of cotton oloth 'r which forms a pillow. When those brought before him are allowed to ;1 be seated, they take up a position as in prayers, with their eyes fixed on the • ground ; and in this position they answer the questions put to them, .nd dare not move until permission . s given them to withdraw. . . Ihe Khalifa thought it incumbent on his .position to maintain a large establish- . !ment ; and as this was also entirely in conformity wuh his own inclina--7 tions, he gradually became possessor ; of a harem of over 4UO wives. In accordance with the Moham- '.'. medan law, he had four legal wives, ./."Who belong to free tribes;, but, ': being a lover of change, he never . hesitates to divorce them at will, '-and take others in their places. „ The other women of the household ' consist, for the most part, of young . ;',-.; girls, many of whom belong to • tribes which have been forced to "'accept Mahdism, and whose husbands and fathers fought against ■'< him. They are therefore regarded as booty, and have only the rights and claims of slaves. This large '-'. assortment of ladies varies in colour "from light brown to the deepeßt '„-•• blaok, and comprises almost every . tribe in the Soudan. . . . Occa.sionally, he holds an inspection of :. _is household, and makes use of such opportunities to rid himself of those of whom he is weary, in order *o make room for new attractions. Those disposed of in this way he generally passes on to his near relatives, his special favourites, or his servants. , , . The Khalifa's principal wife is i-Sahra, and belongs to his • own tribe, She .has shared with him from earliest days ail his joys and sorrows, and is 'the mother , . of his oldest children, Osman and Kadija. During the early years of his reign, he would only eat the simplest food, cooked 'by her or under her superintendence. It consisted, as a rule, merely of usida, roast meat, and chickens'; but as his household increased, he began to try the various sorts of cookery known to his new wives, many of whom were acquainted with the Turkish and Egyptian methods ; and, now, in plaoe of the simple food, he indulges in far . more luxurious fare, though to outward appearanoes he still pretends to lead a life of simplicity and abstinence, .... Abdullahi's dress consists of ajibba, made of superfine white oloth with a coloured border, loobo cotton drawers, and on his head a beautifully made Meooa silk skullcap, around whioh a small white turban is wound. Around his body a narrow strip of cotton, about five • ' yards long, called wasmn, is worn - and a light shawl oi .ue same . material is thrown . aoross his shoulders. He formerly wore sandals, but latterly he has taken to wearing soft leather stookings, of a light-brown colour, . and yellow shoes, When walkiag, he carries a sword in hie left hand, and in. his right a beautifully worked Hadendoa spear, which he uses as a Walking stick. He is invariably accompanied by twelve or fifteen little boy-slaves as his personal attendants. Many of these are . children of Abyssinian Christians seized by Abu Anga and Zeki 'luminal. Their duty is to remain always near him, and aot as his messengers