Al-Mahdi learned of what Al-Mubdi had written. He summoned the princes and read them the aforementioned letters. They insisted on refusal and refused to obey. Each one withdrew with his own counsel, and the occurrence of sedition was feared. Al-Mahdi arrested the leaders of the important ones and wrote to Al-Mubdi about the situation. He was ordered to be lenient and to devote his attention to recruiting men and preparing armies to raid Dethqala and confront the English forces, which had begun their movements in Dethqala. Al-Mahdi established himself in Berber and took control of the country, favoring his relatives and appointing them to positions. He sent for Lyon and they plotted revenge. A delegation from them went to Al-Mubdi, consisting of the Amir of Finga and his men, and they returned disappointed. This is what we recall about the Amir of Al-Tamamti, who harbored intense hatred for the Jaliyin and was waiting for an opportunity. We will mention this matter later. This is all in its place, and God is the giver of success.

We mention the emirate of Abu Qirja over the two Niles from before. We have mentioned what happened with the affair of Al-Da'iya bin Al-Bair and what befell Sheikh Ghaleb Al-Mubid. We now say that Al-Mubdi appointed the commander, Muhammad Abu Qirja, who was a supporter of General Hicks, and wrote to those who had joined his call to obey Abu Qirja, stating that he was the Amir of the White and Blue Niles. Abu Qirja mobilized twenty thousand fighters. When he reached the banks of the White Nile, he sent for all the Dongola relatives who had settled in many villages, the most famous of which was the village of Al-Qutayna, about a hundred miles south of Khartoum. Abu Qirja intended to march on Khartoum from Al-Qutayna, but the news was delayed.