eached Abdullah: those who did not wish the Dervishes
well, rejoiced at the thought that a great part of the army must have
been destroyed, and the anxiety so told on Abdullah, that he was seen to
visibly age in this momentous time. Besides, there was the prophecy of
Mohammed, who had forbidden his followers to make war against the
Abyssinians, unless the latter first provoked it. Abu Anga's expedition
was in direct disobedience to this order, and it was thought that he
must suffer defeat as a punishment, and it was urged that if Abu Anga
returned in safety, then the Prophet Mohammed must be a liar as well as
the Mahdi.

At length the arrival of twelve heads which Abu Anga had sent to Galabat
proved conclusively that a great victory had been won, and now the news
of the destruction of Gondar and the return of Abu Anga's victorious
troops was indeed a welcome relief to the terrible suspense.

This news was followed up soon afterwards by the arrival of numbers of
women and children, and quantities of loot. Several of these miserable
captives had died on the journey, and those who had not been already
sold, had their ears cut off, and were sent to the beit el mal.

Abdullah, without the smallest shame, went himself to the beit el mal,
and chose all the best-looking girls for his harem, and each of the
principal men of his household received an Abyssinian girl as a present.

Abu Anga received great praise at the hands of the Khalifa, and many
verses were made in his honour. Shortly before the victor's arrival in
Omdurman, criers were sent out to say that he should no longer be called
Abu Anga, but Sidi Hamdan, and Abdullah himself went out to meet the
conqueror, and shed tears of joy on seeing him. The booty included
thirty thousand Maria Theresa dollars, of which Khalifa Abdullah at once
took sole possession.

CHAPTER XIV.

KING JOHN OF ABYSSINIA KILLED IN BATTLE.

Destruction of the Kababish tribe and death of Saleh Bey--Events in
Darfur--Revolt of Abu Gamaizeh--His death and destruction of his
army--Rabeh Zubeir--King Theodore's son visits Omdurman--The
conspiracy of "Sayidna Isa"--Death of Abu Anga--King John of
Abyssinia attacks Galabat--Success of Abyssinians, but the king
killed--Victory turned to defeat--The king's head sent to Omdurman.

Let us now leave Abyssinia for a moment, and turn to the course of
events in other parts of the country. The most powerful and determi