186 Wars in Darfur.

Yusef, Emir of Darfur.

1887.

Death of Yusef and Zayid.

Abu Gemaizeh.

his Rizighat revolted against the authority of the Khalifa. Karamalla, Emir of Bahr el Ghazal, thereupon advanced against him and defeated him. Madibbo fled to the Beni Helba Arabs, who protected him, but he was eventually caught, taken to El Obeid and executed.

Zogal had several times been suspected of too great independence and he was often summoned to Omdurman. At first he had refused, but in the end he went and was imprisoned on his arrival, being liberated shortly afterwards. He did not return to Darfur. Sultan Yusef succeeded him as Emir of Darfur, but on Karamalla and Ketenbur (the latter being Karamalla's trusted General) raiding from Bahr el Gbazal on to Darfur territory. Yusef protested strongly, and the quarrel developed rapidly into war.

In May, 1887, Sultan Zayid, the black ruler of Jebel Marra, came to Yusef's assistance and beat Ketenbur, with great slaughter, near El Towaish. Karamalla then withdrew to Injeleila, entrenched himself there, and sent to Omdurman for reinforcements. Osman wad Adam (Ganu), sent to his assistance with a large force, reached Shakka, encountered the Darfurians near Dara, and forced them ba?k (26th December). A second battle was even more disastrous, for Osman Ganu routed Zayid completely and entered El Fasher. The two Sultans fled to the hills, but were shortly killed. Hereupon the brothers of Yusef appealed to the Sultan of Borgu for help against Osman. The Sultan applied to the Senussi for advice ; but the Sheikh refused to interest himself in the matter unless he were attacked by the Mahdists. so the Sultan of Borgu declined. The Darfurian chiefs, however, found a ready ally in the shape of Abu Gemaizeh, Sheikh of the Masalit Arabs, and the rising against the Mahdists began to swell in numbers. Wild rumours spread over the Sudan of the advent to power of a great Anti-Mahdi, but although the latter destroyed nearly half of Osman Adam's force (October, 1888) at Kebkebieh, his forces were themselves destroyed in a fierce battle fought close to El Fasher on the 22nd February, 1889. Abu Gemaizeh died next day, and the movement, which had at one time threatened to assume immense proportions, expired by itself. Thus for some time to come the Dervish power was again supreme in Darfur.