Dervish Movements 1894-96. 205 to the rights of the "Mahdists" with the Congolese), and eleven barges full of troops were sent as reinforcements. Numerous reports now reached Omdurman that the whites had beaten the Dervishes ; this may refer to the victory by the Congolese at Egaru on the 23rd December, 1894. The Regaf garrison was now estimated at 1,500 riflemen and 3,000 spearmen, with two steamers.

In consequence of the Franco- Congolese treaty of 1894, Major Cunningham and Lieut. Vandeleur were sent from Uganda in the beginning of 1895 to Dufile, where they planted the British flag on the 15th January. A hostile reception was given them at Wadelai in consequence, it is believed, of the alliance of the chief of that place with Kabarega. On the retreat of the Belgians in the Bahr el Ghazal, 1895. Khatem Musa retired towards Shakka, but famine and e £ acim ' disease broke out in his camp, and most of his black Dervishes. Jehadieh deserted to Semio. The latter thereupon marched against Musa, who had but 800 left out of 4,000, and even these were mostly sick. Khatem Musa retreated towards Mahmud's force in Kordofan, Abu Khawata, the recently-appointed Emir of Shakka, accompanying him. The Bahr el Ghazal was thus left open to any Europeans who chose to enter (April, 1895).

In June a frantic message arrived at Omdurman from Wad Dafalla, clamouring for reinforcements, as he was threatened by the speedy advance of an European force. He had therefore retired to Shambe.

This panic would seem to have been a false alarm, consequent, perhaps, on Congolese reinforcements having been sent to Dongu. However, numbers of men were collected and hastily sent upstream from Omdurman under one Hamadnalla, Emir of the Powder Factory at Khartum. Strengthened by these (4,000 in all) Wad Dafalla returned to Regaf, and sent Hamadnalla in the autumn to suppress an attack by the riverain tribes.

Daring 1896 Dafalla and his men appear to have been 1896.

paralysed by the news of the Dongola campaign, and remained quiet.

Nothing further of interest occurred, as far as we know, until the attack and occupation of Regaf in 1897, by Chaltin.

Chaltin's column—part of a large force of Congo troops