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living and all the delights of the flesh。 He fell into trances; 

he saw visions; he saw the prophet and Jesus; and the Angel 

Izrail accompanying him and watching over him forever。 He 

prophesied and performed miracles; and his fame spread through 

the land。



There is an ancient tradition in the Mohammedan world; telling of



a mysterious being; the last in succession of the twelve holy 

Imams; who; untouched by death and withdrawn into the recesses of



a mountain; was destined; at the appointted hour; to come forth 

again among men。 His title was the Mahdi; the guide; some 

believed that he would be the forerunner of the Messiah; others

believed that he would be Christ himself。 Already  various Mahdis



had made their appearance; several had been highly successful;

and 

two; in medieval times; had founded dynasties in Egypt。 But who

could 

tell whether ail these were not impostors? Might not the twelfth 

Imam be still waiting; in mystical concealment; ready to emerge; 

at any moment; at the bidding of God? There were signs by which 

the true Mahdi might be recognised unmistakable signs; if one 

could but read them aright。 He must be of the family of the 

prophet; he must possess miraculous powers of no common kind; and



his person must be overflowing with a peculiar sanctity。 The 

pious dwellers beside those distant waters; where holy men by 

dint of a constant repetition of one of the ninety…nine names of 

God; secured the protection of guardian angels; and where groups 

of devotees; shaking their heads with a violence which would 

unseat the reason of less athletic worshippers; attained to an 

extraordinary beatitude; heard with awe of the young preacher 

whose saintliness was almost more than mortal and whose miracles 

brought amazement to the mind。 Was he not also of the family of 

the prophet? He himself had said so; and who would disbelieve the



holy man? When he appeared in person; every doubt was swept away。





There was a strange splendour in his presence; an overpowering 

passion in the torrent of his speech。 Great was the wickedness of



the people; and great was their punishment! Surely their miseries



were a visible sign of the wrath of the Lord。 They had sinned; 

and the cruel tax gatherers had come among them; and the corrupt 

governors; and all the oppressions of the Egyptians。 Yet these 

things; 'Too; should have an end。 The Lord would raise up his 

chosen deliverer; the hearts of the people would be purified; and



their enemies would be laid low。 The accursed Egyptian would be 

driven from the land。 Let the faithful take heart and make ready。



How soon might not the long…predestined hour strike; when the 

twelfth Imam; the guide; the Mahdi; would reveal himself to the 

world?' In that hour; the righteous 'Would triumph and the guilty



be laid low forever。' Such was the teaching of Mohammed Ahmed。 A 

band of enthusiastic disciples gathered round him; eagerly 

waiting for the revelation which would crown their hopes。 At 

last; the moment came。 One evening; at Abba Island; taking aside 

the foremost of his followers; the Master whispered the 

portentous news。 He was the Mahdi。                



The Egyptian Governor…General at Khartoum; hearing that a 

religious movement was afoot; grew disquieted; and dispatched 

an emissary to Abba Island to summon the impostor to his 

presence。 The emissary was courteously received。 Mohammed Ahmed; 

he said; must come at once to Khartoum。 'Must!' exclaimed the 

Mahdi; starting to his feet; with a strange look in his eyes。 The



look was so strange that the emissary thought it advisable to cut



short the interview and to return to Khartoum empty…handed。 

Thereupon; the Governor…General sent 200 soldiers to seize the 

audacious rebel by force。 With his handful of friends; the Mahdi

fell upon the soldiers and cut them to pieces。 The news spread 

like wild…fire through the country: the Mahdi had arisen; the 

Egyptians were destroyed。 But it was clear to the little band of 

enthusiasts at Abba Island that their position on the river was 

no longer tenable。 The Mahdi; deciding upon a second Hegira; 

retreated south…westward; into the depths of Kordofan。



The retreat was a triumphal progress。 The country; groaning under



alien misgovernment and vibrating with religious excitement; 

suddenly found in this rebellious prophet a rallying…point; a 

hero; a deliverer。 And now another element was added to the 

forces of insurrection。 The Baggara tribes of Kordofan; cattle…

owners and slave…traders; the most warlike and vigorous of the 

inhabitants of the Sudan; threw in their lot with the Mahdi。 

Their powerful Emirs; still smarting from the blows of Gordon; 

saw that the opportunity for revenge had come。 A holy war was 

proclaimed against the Egyptian misbelievers。 The followers of 

the Mahdi; dressed; in token of a new austerity of living; in the



'jibbeh'; or white smock of coarse cloth; patched with variously 

shaped and coloured patches; were rapidly organised into a 

formidable army。 Several attacks from Khartoum were repulsed; and



at last; the Mahdi felt strong enough to advance against the 

enemy。 While his lieutenants led detachments into the vast 

provinces lying to the west and the southDarfur and Bahr…el…

Ghazalhe himself marched upon El Obeid; the capital of 

Kordofan。 It was in vain that reinforcements were hurried from 

Khartoum to the assistance of the garrison: there was some severe



fighting; the town was completely cut off; and; after a six 

months' siege; it surrendered。 A great quantity of guns and 

ammunition and £100;000 in spices fell into the hands of the 

Mahdi。 He was master of Kordofan: he was at the head of a great 

army; he was rich; he was worshipped。 A dazzling future opened 

before him。 No possibility seemed too remote; no fortune too 

magnificent。 A vision of universal empire hovered before his 

eyes。 Allah; whose servant he was; who had led him thus far; 

would lead him onward still; to the glorious end。



For some months he remained at El Obeid; consolidating his 

dominion。 In a series of circular letters; he described his 

colloquies with the Almighty and laid down the rule of living 

which his followers were to pursue。 The faithful; under pain of 

severe punishment; were to return to the ascetic simplicity of 

ancient times。 A criminal code was drawn up; meting out 

executions; mutilations; and floggings with a barbaric zeal。 The 

blasphemer was to be instantly hanged; the adulterer was to be 

scourged with whips of rhinoceros hide; the thief was to have his



right hand and his left foot hacked off in the marketplace。 

No more were marriages to be celebrated with pomp and feasting;

no 

more was the youthful warrior to swagger with flowing hair; 

henceforth; the believer must banquet on dates and milk; and his 

head must be kept shaved。 Minor transgressions were punished by 

confiscation of property or by imprisonment and chains。 But the 

rhinoceros whip was the favourite instrument of chastisement。 Men



were flogged for drinking a glass of wine; they were flogged for 

smoking; if they swore; they received eighty lashes for every 

expletive; and after eighty lashes it was a common thing to die。 

Before long; flogging grew to be so everyday an incident that the



young men made a game of it; as a test of their endurance of 

pain。 



With this Spartan ferocity there was mingled the glamour 

and the mystery of the East。 The Mahdi himself; his four 

Khalifas; and the principal Emirs; masters of sudden riches; 

surrounded themselves with slaves and women; with trains of 

horses and asses; with body guards and glittering arms。 There 

were rumours of debaucheries in high places of the Mahdi; 

forgetful of his own ordinances; revelling in the recesses of his



harem; and quaffing date syrup mixed with ginger out of the 

silver cups looted from the church of the Christians。 But that 

imposing figure had only to show itself for the tongue of scandal



to be stilled。 The tall; broad…shouldered; majestic man; with the



dark face and black beard and great eyeswho could doubt that he



was the embodiment of a superhuman power? Fascination dwelt in 

every movement; every glance。 The eyes; painted with antimony; 

flashed extraordinary fires; the exquisite smile revealed; 

beneath the vigorous lips; white upper teeth with a V…shaped 

space between them the certain sign of fortune。 His turban was 

folded with faultless art; his jibbeh; speckless; was perfumed 

with sandal…wood; musk; and attar of roses。 He was at once all 

courtesy and all command。 Thousands followed him; thousands 

prostrated themselves before him; thousands; when he lifted up 

his voice in solemn worship; knew that the heavens were opened 

and that they had come near to God。 Then all at once the onbeia



the e

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