ernment;
but Elias Pasha, a Jaali, and former Mudir of El Obeid, urged him
against this. Elias Pasha was a bitter enemy of Mohammed Said Pasha, and
of Ahmed Bey Dafallah, one of the principal merchants of El Obeid, and
he took this opportunity to wreak his vengeance on them. He fully
convinced the Mahdi of the inability of the garrison of El Obeid to
offer any prolonged resistance, as the troops were few in number, and he
could count on all the inhabitants joining him. It was this advice that
caused the Mahdi to turn his attention to Kordofan.

During all this time the number of the Mahdi's followers was continually
increasing, and the Government at length decided to send an expedition
against him. On the 15th of March, 1882, Yussef Pasha Esh Shellali,
formerly Gessi's second in command in his campaign against Suleiman
Zubeir, left Khartum for the south, in command of some 4,000 men, a
large number of whom deserted on the march. About the middle of May,
however, he left Fashoda, and advanced towards Gedir. At the same time
another expedition under Abdullah, brother of Ahmed Bey Dafallah and
Osman, started from El Obeid. This force was composed entirely of
volunteers, whom it had taken almost a month to collect, the noggara
beating night and day as a summons to arms. They were badly armed, and
in spite of Abdullah's well-known bravery, the expedition left with
little hope of success. Besides, an event happened which filled the men
with gloomy forebodings. Just as the troops were starting, Abdullah fell
from his horse, and, according to Sudan superstition, such an untoward
event is always a sign that the expedition will meet with misfortunes.
Abdullah effected a junction with Yussef Pasha, and the combined force
reached Gedir, where they entrenched themselves in a zariba near the
base of the mountain. A body of rebels, noiselessly approaching by
night, succeeded unobserved in dragging away some of the thorns forming
the zariba, and in the early morning the Dervishes, with fearful yells,
broke in and threw themselves on the troops, who, scared by the
suddenness of the attack, offered little resistance; they were soon
overcome, and fell a prey to the deadly dervish spears. Abdullah alone
made a gallant stand, and fought with desperate bravery, but he too fell
at last. A few only succeeded in escaping to Fashoda, and Emin Bey, who
was there at the time, on his way to the Equatorial Province, was the
first to receive the sad