152 The British Campaign in the Soudan.

sheikhs (elders), and are treated with great reverence, which is still increased by their affectation of superior sanctity.

It was not long before Sheikh Achmet, by his display of extraordinary piety, acquired the reputation of a holy dervish, a grade above that of fakir, and corresponding somewhat to the mendicant friars of Catholic countries. There was an ancient tradition among Mussulmans, that about the end of the thirteenth century of the Hegira (1882-3) a prophet would arise who would restore the glories of Islam and conquer the whole world. It was prophesied that this Wahdi (derived from' hada, to lead— Mahdi, \ed by God) would be named Mohammed, would be a carpenter by trade, would have only four fingers on his left hand, and certain moles or marks upon his face. By accident or design, Mohammed-Achmet while working at his trade had chopped off a finger of his left hand, and he claimed that his face bore the signs indicated by the prophecy. ‘To increase his reputation for holiness, he retired to a cave in the island of Aba above Khartoum and became a hermit, pretending in the approved style of prophets to have visions and revelations from God. He was living there in comparative obscurity, evolving himself into a Mahdi when I passed not far from his retreat in 1876.

There can be no doubt that he was a man of uncommon shrewdness and ambition, and that he kept himself fully informed of all the events occurring in Lower Egypt. The wonderful rapidity with which news travels through mysterious channels in Mussulman countries is a well-established fact. In this way the disaffection of the army and people, the forced abdication of Ismail-