cessful, at other times he suffered
reverses. Tolodi, Gedir, and lastly Naima, were scenes of bloody
combats, and at the last-named place Abu Anga, in spite of his
artillery--which was commanded by Said Bey Guma--was heavily defeated
and driven back.

One of Abu Anga's most capable assistants was Abdullah Wad Ibrahim, who,
on account of his unparalleled cruelties, made Abu Anga's name a terror
throughout the land. Abu Anga was now recalled from his campaign by
Khalifa Abdullah to take possession of Zogal and his army, who was then
on his way from Darfur to Bara. We have seen how rapidly and skilfully
he carried out this order.

Now all that was left for Abu Anga to do was to punish the mutinous
troops of El Obeid who had killed Sherif Mahmud. Wad Ibrahim was sent on
this duty, and after a severe fight, in which numbers were killed on
both sides, he succeeded in capturing several of the mutineers, whom he
attached to his troops; but some of them escaped to the Nubas, and Wad
Ibrahim proceeded in consequence to Golfan-Naima, which he besieged,
took, and reduced the inhabitants to slavery; the heads of Bishir and
three other leaders were sent to Omdurman, where they were exposed for a
month on the gallows as a warning to all mutinous-minded persons.

By all these various actions Abu Anga had succeeded in adding
considerably to the numbers of his troops, and he moreover drilled them
constantly and instilled a spirit of discipline which had been hitherto
unknown--thus he raised up a power which it was almost impossible to
defeat. Khalifa Abdullah now sent instructions to Abu Anga to return to
Omdurman in time for the Bairam festival, and at the same time he sent
orders to all the inhabitants of the Gezireh and Nile Valley to collect
at Omdurman for a great review. Abu Anga, as usual, complied with the
order with alacrity, and making forced marches, _via_ Tayara, Shatt, and
Om Sadik, he reached Omdurman in a very short time. Abdullah sent
numbers of emirs to meet and welcome him.

In Omdurman the only topic of conversation was about Abu Anga and his
great army. The Khalifa himself also prepared a magnificent reception
for his faithful general, in which he strove to do him all possible
honour. On the night preceding the great festival, criers were sent
through Omdurman announcing that any one who failed to present himself
at the great review the following morning would be seriously dealt with;
this order was willingly comp