d out by shooting.

Shortly afterwards, they quitted Delen and marched to Jebel Naima, the
inhabitants of which place are known as the bravest of the Nubas; but
here they still seemed to think themselves too close to their hated
enemies, and therefore moved on to Golfan, where they took up a position
in an inaccessible mountain, were recognized by their neighbours as the
rulers of the country, and were supplied by them with quantities of
cattle and sesame.

In the meantime Sherif Mahmud, in Omdurman, had been fully informed of
all that had occurred. He fell into a terrible passion, accused all his
emirs of cowardice, and proceeded forthwith to El Obeid. He would not
even enter his house, but encamped outside the town. Khalifa Abdullah
had ordered him to leave the mutineers alone, and to proceed, _via_ the
Es Safiyeh Wells, to Dongola; but Mahmud entirely disregarded this
order. He thirsted for vengeance against these rebels, and determined to
subdue them. Added to this, he had also conceived the idea of usurping
Khalifa Abdullah's authority. His object, therefore, was to increase
his power by regaining the co-operation of the soldiers, and so proud
and self-confident was he, that he believed they would never attempt to
fight against him.

Here, underneath the great Adansonia tree where the Mahdi had stayed so
long, he pitched his camp and made preparations for his advance on Nuba.
He called for volunteers, saying that he did not wish to force anyone to
go to war, and at the same time he endeavoured to encourage the people
by telling them that the Mahdi had appeared to him in a dream, and had
told him to advance and attack the rebels, promising him certain
victory. In spite of this summons, very few volunteered, and getting
thoroughly annoyed, he now threatened with death anyone who refused to
join him. Thus did Mahmud realise that the spirit of Mahdiism had almost
died out, and that in future force would be required to carry out its
behests.

He rapidly advanced with a force of 2,500 men, most of them armed with
Remingtons. On his way he was joined by a number of Arabs, which raised
his force to some 8,000 men. On arrival at Naima he found that the
mutineers had moved on; he therefore advanced to Golfan, and sent in a
letter to the effect that if they surrendered he would give them a free
pardon. But the soldiers had had previous experience of Mahdieh
promises, and received the messengers with volleys, which soon ma