IES AND THE MAHDI.

Description of El Obeid--Said Pasha's system of defence--The
Mahdi's followers encircle the town--Townspeople desert to the
Mahdi--Unsuccessful attack on Government buildings--Dervishes
driven off with loss of 10,000 men--The missionaries brought before
the Mahdi--Threatened with death--Preparations for the
execution--Reprieved at the last moment--The Mahdi's camp
described--Death of some of the missionaries--Illness of remainder.

During our stay in the hut we were told how the inhabitants of El Obeid
had joined the Mahdi, and that only the garrison held out; but I will
here narrate what had actually occurred.

We left the Mahdi last at Birket, while his three messengers had been
hanged in El Obeid. He left Birket on the 4th of September, and encamped
at Kaba, a place a few hours' journey from El Obeid. El Obeid is
situated in the midst of a vast plain, which in the hot weather is just
like a desert. Here and there a few Adansonia trees, transported from
Khartum, break the monotony of this dreary scene which is bounded on the
south-east by the Kordofan mountains; at a distance of about five
kilometres to the north rises the cone-shaped hill known as Korbatsh,
while to the north-west appears the small Om Herezeh mountain. El Obeid
lies in a sort of hollow in the plain; consequently during the
winter-time the wells become full of water, and serve as a sufficient
supply for the whole year.

Since the Egyptian occupation of the Sudan, El Obeid had become a town
of some importance, but the houses were for the most part built of mud,
with the exception of the Government buildings, which were constructed
of sun-dried bricks. The entrance to these buildings was through a lofty
archway, over which a second story had been raised, thus making it a
most conspicuous object, and one which could be seen from a considerable
distance. El Obeid, at the time of which I speak, was an important and
flourishing city, with a population of about 100,000 souls. It was noted
principally for its gum, the best quality of which was known by the name
of Kordofan gum. The largest quantities came from Tayara and Dar Homr,
where the gum trees were planted in large gardens regularly laid out.
Thousands of camels were engaged in the transport of this valuable
commodity to Shatt on the White Nile, to Omdurman, and to Dongola.
Ostrich feathers also formed another important article of commerce. At