THE MAD MULLAH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 59, 16 April 1914, Page 10

THE MAD MULLAH.

The Mad Mullah of Somaliland is still credited with a following of 8000 men, says a London paper. He has also received considerable additions from the Ogadcn tribe, the majority of whom are still armed with rifles of the British pattern. He has also a few out-of-date Maxims, and his prestige is still considerable.

He is paying very high prices for arms. Old' Gras rifles shipped from Jibutil fetch anything up to the price of eight camels; that is to say, about £ll to £l2 each, while these same weapons can be bought in Abyssinia for £3. The wounds from these Gras bullets are far more serious than those from modern rifles. _ The Dervishes have also obtained a considerable number of .303 rifles, for which they also pay high prices. Many of these have been taken from the British friendlies. The Mullah has plenty of Gras ammunition, but cannot ;get hold of .303 ammunition. It would not be impossible, for the Mullah to cut off the water supply from Berbera at Durbar, some seven miles distant, but apart from this Berbera has its own special supply that would last a week. With regard to the British friendly tribes, the chief danger to be apprehended is the defection of the Dolbahanti who are closer to the Mullah than the other tribes. They have to a great extent been reduced to destitution and there is therefore considerable possibility of their going over to the Mullah.