Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1885 — AN ARMY OF 100,000 MEN. [ARTICLE]

AN ARMY OF 100,000 MEN.

Extraordinary Moyement Among the Mohammedans of the Kigritian Regions in Africa. A Mandingo Named Samudu Engaged in Suppressing Paganism and Killing Off Bad People. [Washington telegram.] Secretary of State Bayard is in receipt of a dispatch from Sierra Leone. West Africa, giving accounts of the movements of an army of 100,000 men in the interior of Africa. Tho dispatch is dated July 14 last and was sent by United States Consul Lewis. Mr. Lewis says: "I have the honor to bring to the notice of ihe Department of State the tact of an extraordinary movement among the Mohammedans of the Nigritian regions, extending from Timbuctoo to the West Coast. It appears that in 1880 a Mandingo named Samudu, of extraordinary intelligence and energy, conceived the idea that he was called of God to wage a war for the suppression of paganism and for the opeuiug of the roads to the ooast, which in certain districts have been for generations subjected to excessive blaokmail and to the plundering of vagabond tribes. During tho last five years he has collected an army consisting of foot and horse of about 100,000. Mohammedan youth, wherever he goes, flock to his standard, anxious not only to secure the reward in the hereafter promised to those who fight for their religion, but to carry of! the rich spoils expeditions that battle for the faith are sure to win. “It is said that Samudu’s army is divided into three portions. One is operating near the headwaters of the Niger. This portion recently drove certain French troops from the gold regions of Boossa, of which they had taken possession. Boossa is a large town, the capital of a province of the same name west of Soudan, on an island in the Niger, about latitude 10 deg. 14 min. north, longitude 5 deg. 20 min. east, and at ono time hid a population of 20,000 souls. Here Mungo Park met his death. Samudu’s followers are now besieging Bammakkoo, a large towm on tho N iger, in the State of Pambarra, occupied about three years by the French, who have erected fortifications there. “Another poition of the army is operating in the regions east of Liberia, and. by suppressing the disturbing elements, unfettering trade and introducing a knowledge of religion and letters, is in ond sense opening the country for negro immigrants of intelligence and energy from America to push out from the African-American republic to the healthy and fertile regions of the interior. In another sense it is forestalling the whole region for Mohammedanism, and making it difficult, if, indeed, it is d - sirable, to convert that country to the faith imported from America by the immigrants. “The third portion of the army is approaching the coast a few miles northwest of Sierra Leone. It has secured tho submission by force or by voluntary surrender of all the tribes on the way for 500 miles back. “The largest and most important pagan kingdom on this side of the. Niger was Soolima, of which Talaba, a large commercial city, was the capital. For the last sixty years the Fulah Mohammedans have been trying by diplomacy and by arms to subdue this city to the faith, but it has always successfully resisted both diplomat and warrior. Last year Samudu’s army in overwhelming numbers surrounded it and ca led upon the king to surrender and profess Islam. This he refused to do. The town was then invested and after a terrible Biege of five months the king assembled the royal family and principal chiefs in his powder-house'nnd informed them that he could hold out no longer, as his resources were exhausted; but having for more than two hundred years belonged to the ruling element, he was determined for himself and family to die rather than come under Mohammedan rule. He gave the chiefs their choice, either to die with him or go out of the town and give themselves up to the enemy. They decided to die with him. He then set fire to the powder and they were all blown up. This ended the Soolima po« or, which for more than seven generations had influenced the trade and politic? of ex.ensive districts, and had commanded the principal highways to the coast. “Another very important achievement of this army is the destruction of the Hooboo power, an irresponsible organization, which for thirty years has been a source of annoyance aud loss to caravans passing from the interior to the coast Samudu gave orders to attack them in their mountain strongholds, which until then hod proved inaccessible to the neighboring forces. They were surprised, their chief, Abal, was captured and decapitated, and his arms and legs, severed from the trunk, were sent to the various countries whose inhabitants had suffered from his predatory and murderous proceedings. The Hooboos are described as renegade Fulahs in rebellion against the King of Timboo. The roads have now been cleared of these thieves and murderers, so that an unprotected child or female may travel in safety all through that district. “These operations will not be without a salutary effect upon American commerce, for there is in that country an increasing demand for Afinerican pioductions.and many of the articles produced by the people are valuable in American trade. Samudu’s army is now only a few miles from the coast northwest of Sierra Leone. It is said to be their purpose now to deal with the Timuch and Sherbro oountries, whose constant wars keep the maritime regions in such a state of ferment that often the caravans have struggled through obstructions for hundreds of miles. They find that their greatest difficulty is among the coast tribes and often fall victims to the latter.”