2n8 Eastern Sudan, 1885—1893.

Kutit, 23rd Septoiiiber, 1885.

188& 1887 Battle of Debra Sin.

1888. Action of Hand lib.

Uenimelza, 20th December, 1888.

1889.

Battle of Matemnia, 9th March, 1889. Death of John.

Accession of Menelik.

1890. 1891.

Reoccupation of Tokar, 19th February, 1891.

1892.

Italians on the scene.

1893.

Osman Digiia came towards Kassala in August, but the Abyssinians and Beni Amer attacked him with great determination at Kufit (2;5rd September) and utterly routed him, killing :5,000 of his men.

Egypt had on the 6th February handed over Massaua to the Italians, at which the Abyssinians, deeming it an infraction of the Hewett treaty, were seriously annoyed. In consequence Ras Alula refused, after the fight at Kufit, to resume operations against the Mahdists, and retired.

In the beginning of 1886 Osman Digna once more tried to stir up strife in the neighbourhood of Suakin. The tribes, however, did not greet liim cordially, and the attitude of the Amarar, Ashraf, and Habab was doubtful. As the year wore on, the Amarar fought against Digna, shut him up in Tamai, and beat him there (6th September). As the Beni Amer, Bisharin, etc., were showing signs of coming in, Osman Digna escaped, and took refuge in the rich delta of Tokar. Here he remained quiet for another year.

In June, 1887, the Abyssinians under Ras Adal advanced into Gallabat, and beat the Dervishes under Wad Arbab, killing the latter. On reinforcements being sent by the Khalifa, under Yunes el Degheim, Ras Adal announced his intention of invading the Sudan with a large army. Abdalla responded by sending 87,000 men, under Abu Anga and Zeki Tumal, against Adal, and a great battle was fought in August, 1887, at Debra Sin, 30 miles from Gondar. The Abyssinian army was completely routed, and the Dervishes entered and sacked Gondar. A slight side-issue arose for the moment in the shape of one Nebi Isa, a prophet, who arose at Gallabat in Abu Anga's rear, but although many Dervishes, including Yunes, believed in him, as opposed to the Khalifa, Abu Anga quickly put a stop to the rising by capturing and hanging the prophet. Other risings occurred on the Blue Nile, among the Rufaa and other tribes, but they were soon suppressed.

At the end of the year Osman Digna advanced again and besieged Suakin. He was, however, beaten in detail, and fell back on Handub. The latter place was attacked by Colonel Kitchener with some irregulars on the 17th January, 1888, but the attack did not succeed, and Colonel Kitchener received a serious wound in the face.

Fighting continued at intervals during the whole year round Suakin. Abu Girga* arrived, but retired again. At last reinforcements were sent from Cairo, including a British contingent,t and Sir Francis Grenf ell took command. A decisive action ensued just outside the walls of Suakin (battle of Gemmeiza, 20th December, 1888), in which the enemy were completely defeated. In the following year a certain amount of local fighting went on near the town, but the tribes were becoming exhausted, and Osman was losing some of his influence.

King John of Abyssinia was meanwhile vowing vengeance for the defeat at Debra Sin, and in April of 1888 a sham Abyssinian deputation visited Omdurman, nominally to bnng the submission of Ras Adal, but in reality to spy out the land. Abu Anga advanced again, and was at first successful, but in July Ras Adal smote him hip and thigh, and the Dervish generalj died in the following January, whilst Ras Adal became King of Gojjam, under the name of Tekla Haimanot. King John was now determined to capture Gallabat and advance on Omdurman ; he therefore left Gondar at the end of February, and advanced against Matemma, the capital of Gallabat. Zeki Tumal had fortified this town, and held it with 60,000 men ; but the Abyssinians surrounded and overwhelmed them (!)th March). During the last stage of the fight, however. King John was killed by a stray bullet, whereupon his army retired at once. The Dervishes harassed their retreat and captured the body of their monarch, so to all intents the result amounted to a serious Abyssinian reverse. The Abyssinians are said to have numbered 87,000 men, and outnumbered the Dervishes, vide p. 108.

On hearing of this, John's rival, Menehk of Shoa, seized the throne and proclaimed himself Negus Nagasti, shortly afterwards making a treaty of friendship with the Italians.

During 1890 Handub was still occupied by the enemy, but in the first days of 1891 Colonel HoUed Smith, then Governor, attacked and occupied it during the absence of Osman Digna (27th January). He then followed up his advantage by seizing Trinkitat and Teb, and on the 19th February, after a sharp fight with the enemy at Tokar, he occupied the ruins of that town and the village of Afafit, and drove Osman Digna back to Temerin.

This action and its results were a heavy and, as it proved, a final blow to the Dervish power in the direction of Suakin. Trade was reopened between Suakin and Berber in the summer of 1891, and although Osman Digna threatened reprisals, the tribes were getting tired of Mahdist rule, and refused to respond to his overtures. Raids occurred on a small scale near Tokar and Sinkat during 1892 and 1893, but led to no definite action.

Meanwhile the Italians had been steadily increasing their sphere of operations from Massaua, and by a protocol of the 15th April, 1891, had defined the northern frontier of their new colony of Eritrea as starting from Ras Kasar on the Red Sea coast, and thence proceeding in a south-westerly direction to the Atbara, passing east of Kassala. A further proviso enabled the Italians to take and occupy Kassala (if they could), with a small section of Egyptian territory, on condition that they were to hand it over to Egypt if required.

During 1893 the Dervishes, alarmed at the growth of the ItaUan power, determined to invade Eritrea, and a strong * Now at El Faslier.

t The 20th HusHars ; 2nd Battu. King's Own Scottish Borderers ; 1st Battn. Welsh Regiment. \ Buried at Gallabat.