A DISASTER NEAR FASHODA. 433 



the west, and, now in open rebellion, preached to the Bakara 

 a war against the Turks (Egyptians), the troops of Fashoda, 

 regulars and irregulars, plundered the Arab villages to the east 

 of the Nile, and drove loyal inhabitants into the rebels' arms. 

 Eauf Pasha now probably saw that it was impossible to quench 

 a fire with oil, so he gave strict orders to the Governor of 

 Fashoda to retire on that town, and to act entirely on the 

 defensive. 



In the meantime, the Mahdi had taken up a fortified posi- 

 tion in the mountains on the other side of Fashoda, and openly 

 declared his intention of remaining there till the end of the 

 rainy season, and of then marching on Kordofan. His emis- 

 saries were sent out in all directions, inviting the people to 

 join his standard, and they found them willing enough to 

 listen, especially those on the Blue Nile, where several 

 solitary Shurefa (descendants of the Prophet's family) and 

 Fukaha (priests of a low grade) possessed very considerable 

 settlements and lands. At this time, reinforcements to the 

 number of four thousand men, which Eauf Pasha had very 

 wisely requested, were being mobilised in Egypt. He had not 

 sufficient troops, and did not wish to take the responsibility of 

 using irregulars, or of fighting Sudanese with Sudanese. Un- 

 fortunately, the Governor of Fashoda undertook to show what 

 a capable official could do, so a very large expedition, led by 

 him in person, and which was also joined by the chief of the 

 Shiluk, marched with the utmost rapidity against the rebels ; 

 but as the soldiers were permitted no time to rest, nor pro- 

 vided with water or food, they were nearly all destroyed, the 

 leader also paying for his folly with his life. 



Although it would have been an easy matter for the Mahdi 

 to have taken Fashoda at once, he refrained from taking any 

 aggressive action, remaining true to his programme. Rauf 

 Pasha was recalled, and the command given into the hands of 

 the Vice- Governor, Giegler Pasha, who commenced at once to 

 arrange a mighty expedition, composed of many regular troops, 

 large numbers of irregulars, Barabra and Danagla, of all kinds 

 and colours; and Yussuf Pasha Hassan, himself an irregular, 

 was placed in command. This man was well known through 

 Gessi Pasha's reports on his slave-dealing affairs. The troops 



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