We were leaving Omdurman, on an expedition to the far west, beyond the
high misty mountains of Marran and the great glaring Saharan plains.
Our forces, consisting of over fifteen thousand armed warriors, were
assembling to parade and receive our Ruler's blessing ere we departed.
Red and fiery the sun rose, the houses shone milk-white against the
intense blue of the sky, the monotonous thumping of the _nahas_
continued, the yelling of the fanatical multitude increased, and the
black silken standard, planted in the centre of the parade-ground,
stirred by a breath of hot wind, suddenly spread itself out lazily,
revealing its inscription in sprawly Arabic characters of bright yellow.
The excited populace, the black-faced warriors of the Tumali, the
Tegeleand the Fajelu, regarding this as a good omen, shouted themselves
hoarse in cursing our enemies, but a few seconds later the sound of loud
trumpets echoed across the square, and a silence, sudden and complete,
fell upon the multitude. Drawn up in long lines, we were facing in the
direction of the Holy City, ranging ourselves in order, attending the
commands of Allah and the Khalifa and celebrating the divine praise.
From where I sat I had full view of the great arched gate of the Palace,
which next second was thrown open as the Khalifa himself, stout,
dark-bearded, and hawk-eyed, rode forth, accompanied by his officers and
bodyguard. Mounted on a fine camel, and wearing a suit of golden mail
armour and a helmet with spotless plume, he was surrounded by about two
hundred horsemen also clad in mail, with thick, red turbans around their
helmets, their horses all wearing brass head armour to protect them from
sword cuts. Four _onbeia_ blowers walked in front, and, in turns,
sounded the great elephant's tusk, while, headed by the dreaded sable
standard and moving very slowly, came the Khalifa, stern, stately,
statuesque, with drawn sword. Behind, followed the gaudily-attired
_mulazimin_, or body-servants, riding, while his black guards, veritable
giants in stature, formed a compact square around him.
The spectacle was brilliant and imposing. In the bright morning
sunshine the spears and armour of the cavalcade flashed and glittered,
and, as the Khalifa drew up his camel within a few yards of me, his keen
black eyes wandered around us, as if in search of absentees. Thrice the
deafening plaudits of the multitude rent the air; thrice he bowed an
acknowledgment with regal gesture. With one voice the people cried,
"Alhamdolillah!"--the pious expression which leaves the lips of True
Believers on all occasions of concluding actions--the review began, and
the wild enthusiasm and confusion knew no bounds. Remington rifles with
ammunition were distributed to us, in addition to the customary three
spears and sword, and, amid the endless shouting and recitation of suras
from the Koran, with bows and protestations we dashed at a wild gallop
hither and thither past the powerful Ruler of the Soudan, raising clouds
of white dust. At length, in obedience to a long, loud blast from the
_onbeia_, we halted, and the Khalifa--whose custom it was to attend the
mosque five times a day and to enforce the presence of all his principal
emirs--commenced the second portion of the parade. The review, or
_arda_, as it was called, was a religious ceremony, and those who took
part in it were supposed to obtain special advantages and blessings.
Gazing slowly around him, with an expression of restlessness and revenge
clearly portrayed upon his gross, bloated features, he waved his fat
hand, with imperious gesture, exclaiming in a loud, firm voice,--
"Harken unto me, O my people! The believer doth not escape from the
chastisement of Allah--whose glory be glorified,--until he leaveth four
things--lying, pride, niggardliness and evil-thinking. Paradise
desireth four kinds of men: the first of them are they who feed the
hungry; the second, they who lend succour unto the naked; the third,
they who fast in Ramadan; and the fourth, they who read the Koran. Fear
ye Allah in secret, O my people!"
Every head bent low in obedient submission, every voice cried with one
accord, "May the peace of Allah cover thee like a cloak, O august Ruler!
O Pearl of the conch of Prophecy!"
"Our kingdom is made flourishing through justice, is protected by
courage, and ruled by good government," he continued. "Good government
is that the gate of the Chief be guarded in the proper time of being
guarded, and opened in the proper time of being open, and the
gate-keeper friendly. Verily, the One Merciful hath servants whom he
distinguisheth with his favours, and whom he rewardeth for fighting for
the Faith with great rewards. To go forth into battle against the
Sultan of Sokoto is necessary for the well being of our State, and of
our people; therefore, O men-at-arms, gird your loins and sharpen your
spears, so that ye may enter the great city of Kano, vanquish your
enemies, trample their country underfoot, deliver it over to fire and
sword, and return hither to your ease within yonder walls of this, your
dwelling-place. In the darkness of night, as in the sunshine of noon,
ye carry with ye upon thy wanderings the ever-anxious thoughts of your
Khalifa, into whose keeping the welfare of our kingdom was entrusted by
the holy Mahdi whom Allah, who liveth in Heaven, hath been pleased to
remove from amongst us."
"His name be exalted and praised!" roared the excited, dark-faced
multitude. "May it endure as long as time lasts!"
"True, O my people," continued the autocrat, with well-feigned
reverence. "May our great Chief, El-Mahdi, drink of the stream
Al-Cawthar, whiter than milk or silver, and more odoriferous than musk,
with as many cups set around it as there are stars in the firmament, of
which water whosoever drinketh will thirst no more for ever. May he
wander through the groves of Jannat-al-Ferdaws with the glorious
Hur-al-oyun, whose dark eyes are a pleasure to beholders, and whose
pavilions are as hollow pearls."
Then, after the people had given vent to loud acclamations, he repeated,
in a loud voice, two long prayers from the Koran, followed by the
_khutba_ for days of the Jihad, "Praise be to Allah, the One Merciful,
who is the best of helpers; for we say, verily, help us against the
Infidel people. He who is dissatisfied with the licentious, we ask Him,
`Do help us against the Infidel people.' Glory to Him who scattereth
the strength of the unbelievers; so we say, verily, `Do help us.' He
who surroundeth with His aid His grateful worshippers, help us. He whom
Allah sent to give vigour unto the lukewarm, help us. Know ye that
Allah, whose name be exalted, has written upon you the Jihad against the
wicked. Therefore, exert yourselves and say, `Help us against the
Infidels, and may their place be in Al-Hawiyat.' And be ye patient in
the fatigues of the expedition; for, verily, His help maketh bold those
who watch. Then say ye, `Help us against the Infidels. Thou art our
Allah. Then help us against the people of the Infidels.'"
This concluded, he delivered a further invocation for the victory of the
religion of Al-Islam, long life for himself, and the continual success
of his arms, following it up with a prayer, calling down the vengeance
of Allah on all unbelievers and those who had erred from the paths of
Mahdiism, especially the enemies we were about to attack, and asking
that their wives and children might be given as booty unto us. At the
end of the prayers he repeated the _Fatiha_, the whole gigantic assembly
joining in the declaration of the Unity, loud, fervent, impressive.
Every head again bowed for a second, then wild yelling, shrill
battle-cries and deafening war gongs sounded, mad, enthusiastic
confusion becoming general everywhere as the Khalifa Abdullah and his
black bodyguard slowly moved back along the Nile bank towards the great
white Palace, the ponderous iron-studded gates of which opened wide to
receive them. Men and women, giving vent to cries of "_Sidi! Khalifat
el Mahdi_!" and "_Ya Sidi ana mazlum_!" threw themselves upon their
faces, craving his blessing as he passed, and some of the more fanatical
struggled and fought with his bodyguard of ebon-faced Taisha in a vain
endeavour to touch the hem of the garment of the Great Ruler inspired by
Allah.
Thus, while the shouting multitude followed our Master, we dismounted,
ate the handful of dhurra allotted to each of us, and took leave of our
women and relations prior to setting forth on the first stage of an
expedition to Kano, the City of the Mirage, which most probably would
occupy us many months, and from which many of us would certainly never
return.