274 1901—1902.

Frontiers.

Major Austiu'i* expedition.

Darfur.

Raids in Darfur.

Wadalt Colonel Sparkes now made an extensive patrol to the south, to visit Sultan Tembura of the Nyam Nyams. Here, after many diflSculties of travel, he arrived on 25th June, 1901, and was most cordially received by the Sultan, whose people were of a comparatively highly civilised order. Sparkes returned to Wau on the 27th July, and proceeded north shortly afterwards, suffering severely from fever. In November, as Major Boulnois, besides many of the troops, was invalided owing to the same cause. Major Hunter assumed command of the Occupation Force.

In the spring of 1901 the question of the Sudan-Eritrea and Abyssinian Frontiers claimed the attention of the Sudan Government. Colonel Hon. M. G. Talbot concluded, with Lieutenant Colli, at Kassala, on 16th April, a treaty* regarding the frontier between Sabderat, the Atbara, Tomat, and Todluk, and a new grazing convention was also concluded between Colonel CoUinson (Mudir of Kassala) and Signor Martini (Governor-General of Eritrea) on 28th February, 1901. Major Gwynn, D.S.O., with Captain Smyth, V.C., continued his surveys from Famaka northwards (he having arrived at this place from Addis Abbaba on the 1-ith April), and fixed a series of important points during his journeys, which extended altogether from Jebel Jerok to Gallabat.

Meanwhile Major Austin and Lieutenant Bright had started from Nasser on a further expedition south-eastwards from Nasser on the 12th January. They were to find stores provided by the Abyssinians at Murle, on the north bank of Lake Rudolf, but on arriving at this point, after making a valuable survey from Nasser, they found no signs of Abyssinians or stores. They then struck south along the western shore of the lake, and after suffering severely from hunger and sickness, and losing 39 out of 53 of their men by starvation, they eventually arrived at Lake Baringo on the 6th August. Since 1898 Ali Dinar had been with some difficulty establishing himself on the throne of Darfur. He was appointed Government- Agent in that country, and in June, 1901, he began paying an annual tribute.

In September Ali Dinar sent a strong force under Tirab Suleiman against the Maalia and Rizeigat Arabs in the south, whom he wished to bring under his sway. Tirab raided them heavily, and on their taking refuge in Kordofan threatened to pursue them thither. The consequent consternation in Kordofan was only allayed by the Mudir mobilising a force of camel corps, etc., near the frontier at Foga and Nahud. Matters quieted down, and Ali Dinar expressed his apologies.

To turn to affairs in Wadai : — At the end of 1898 Sultan Yusef died and nominated his second son Ibrahim to succeed him, whilst Abdel Aziz his eldest son, who was a violent and war-like character, was blinded to preclude the possibility of disturbance. As Dud Murra the youngest of the three brothers got on well with Ibrahim he was left unmolested, and the late Sultan Yusef s body was duly interred at Wara, the recognised burial place of Wadai Sultans. Ibrahim, on his accession, though his father Yusef was a strong Senussiist, refused to give up merissa drinking and declared himself an anti -Senussiist. It was at Sultan Yusef's request that Senussi had sent Mohammsd El Sunni as his representative at the Court of Abesher at the end of 1897.

Owing to widespread animosity against Ibrahim, caused partly by this friction with the Senussiists and partly by his execution of several of the AgidsJ he determined to leave Abesher on the pretext of going on pilgrimage to Wara, but in reahty to seek refuge in the mountains of Abu Sinun. Sheraf El Din now took charge of affairs with the tacit consent of Jerraa Othman the chief Agid, and sent an expedition to bring back the fugitive Ibrahim alive or dead. He was eventually betrayed by the ex-dervish Emir Zogal§ and brought to Abesher, where after being, it is reported, blinded, he died of his wounds and was buried (1900). " Better," he said, " to die as a Sultan in my Palace than to flee shamefully before slaves." (The party sent to capture Ibrahim was under the command of the slave Gorani Gelma.) In 1902 his remains were transferred to Wara.

Thereupon Ahmed Abu GhazaU (so-called on account of his long neck), the son of the former Sultan Ali, was proclaimed Sultan through the influence of Sheraf El Din, who continued to have the chief hand in the government. This direction of affairs by a eunuch was, however, extremely unpopular and, as a protest, in September, 1901, Sultan Bekhit of Dar Sula refused to comply with orders from Abesher. Jerma, too, endeavoured to instal Asil as Sultan in place of Ahmed Ghazali, but as the latter threatened to have Asil's eyes put out, he fled to Fitri and surrendered near there to Lieut. -Colonel Destenave. in the French sphere. Ahmed now became annoyed with Jerma, as he considered him responsible for the flight of Asil, whilst the people, on the other hand, by whom Jerma was much liked, demanded the head of Ghazali's chief adviser, Sheraf El Din. The Senussi agent, however, Mohammed El Sunni, now stepped in and effected a reconciliation between Jerma and Sheraf El Din, but the Sultan deeply incensed at the conduct of Jerma determined to kill him. Mohammed Sunni, hereupon, again intervened at the critical moment and obtained his reprieve.

♦ SulMiequently for the greater part cancelled (vide p. 290.) + Taken chietly from an account ol Wadai written liy Captain Julien, formerly resident at Kuti, publislieJ in '' LAfriipie Fraiiiae." J Tlie Agid«are the important men in Wadai, i.e., the chief noblemen, governors of districts, generals, etc.

§ Viile p. -255.