inced of its fraud and deception, had unhesitatingly
allied themselves to this new religious movement, which they inspired
with almost greater enthusiasm than that they had just quitted. The
collapse of this new delusion was therefore comparatively greater. The
heads of Abu Gemaizeh and a number of his important leaders were sent to
Omdurman, where they found a place on the gallows, and were subsequently
relegated to the pit in which lay the whitening skulls of Merhdi, the
Abyssinians, and the mutinous blacks.

Osman's victory delighted the Khalifa even more than Abu Anga's success
in Abyssinia, because he had always considered Darfur a place of
refuge, to which he had a secure line of retreat in case of attack from
the north.

The victorious Osman now vented his wrath on the tribes who had
supported Abu Gemaizeh's movement. The Beni Helba tribe especially fell
under his merciless hand, and was almost exterminated; but the country
took some time to recover its normal state, and, in consequence, the
Khalifa had to forego the pleasure of summoning Osman to Omdurman, and
loading him with benefits as he had done to Abu Anga. However, he had a
special house built for him near the mosque, and prepared to do him all
honour when his presence could be spared from Darfur.

But this was not to be. The successful Osman fell ill, and died shortly
afterwards at El Fasher. He was succeeded by the Khalifa's brother
Mahmud Wad Ahmed, who was also accompanied by the kadi Suleiman el
Hejazi. This latter individual was deported to Darfur because he had had
a disagreement with the Khalifa's principal spy, Hajji Zubeir.

Mahmud was ordered, on his arrival at El Fasher, to send to Omdurman all
the money found in the late Osman's safe, and to take over all his
horses, wives, &c., and keep them for himself. He left Omdurman with a
large number of followers, and travelling _via_ El Obeid at length
reached his province. Here he found the country desolate; during the
recent wars all cultivation had lapsed, a terrible famine had set in,
and he was unable to find food for his troops. On reporting this to the
Khalifa, he received orders to retire to Nahut in Kordofan, which he
did, but his black soldiers disliked the change, and conspired together
to kill Mahmud and desert back to Darfur. They attempted to carry out
this project one night, but failing to secure the ammunition, which was
essential to the success of their undertaking, they deserted