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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 elephant's…tusk trumpetwould give out its enormous sound。
The nahasthe brazen wardrums would summon； with their weird
rolling； the whole host to arms。 The green flag and the red flag
and the black flag would rise over the multitude。 The great army
would move forward； coloured； glistening； dark； violent； proud；
beautiful。 The drunkenness； the madness of religion would blaze
on every face； and the Mahdi； immovable on his charger； would let
the scene grow under his eyes in silence。
El Obeid fell in January； 1883。 Meanwhile； events of the deepest
importance had occurred in Egypt。 The rise of Arabi had
synchronised with that of the Mahdi。 Both movements were
nationalist； both were directed against alien rulers who had
shown themselves unfit to rule。 While the Sudanese were shaking
off the yoke of Egypt； the Egyptians themselves grew impatient of
their own masters the Turkish and Circassian Pashas who filled
with their incompetence all the high offices of state。 The army
led by Ahmed Arabi； a Colonel of fellah origin； mutinied； the
Khedive gave way； and it seemed as if a new order were about to
be established。 A new order was indeed upon the point of
appearing： but it was of a kind undreamt of in Arabi's
philosophy。 At the critical moment； the English Government
intervened。 An English fleet bombarded Alexandria； an English
army landed under Lord Wolseley； and defeated Arabi and his
supporters at Tel…el…kebir。 The rule of the Pashas was nominally
restored； but henceforth； in effect； the English were masters of
Egypt。
Nevertheless； the English themselves were slow to recognise this
fact： their Government had intervened unwillingly； the occupation
of the country was a merely temporary measure； their army was to
be withdrawn as soon as a tolerable administration had been set
up。 But a tolerable administration； presided over by the Pashas；
seemed long in coming； and the English army remained。 In the
meantime； the Mahdi had entered El Obeid； and his dominion was
rapidly spreading over the greater part of the Sudan。
Then a terrible catastrophe took place。 The Pashas； happy once
more in Cairo； pulling the old strings and growing fat over the
old flesh…pots； decided to give the world an unmistakable proof
of their renewed vigour。 They would tolerate the insurrection in
the Sudan no longer； they would destroy the Mahdi； reduce his
followers to submission； and re…establish their own beneficent
rule over the whole country。 To this end they collected together
an army of 10；000 men； and placed it under the command of Colonel
Hicks； a retired English officer。 He was ordered to advance and
suppress the rebellion。 In these proceedings the English
Government refused to take any part。 Unable； or unwilling； to
realise that； so long as there was an English army in Egypt they
could not avoid the responsibilities of s