THE SOUDAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 87, 16 March 1885, Page 3

THE SOUDAN.

j ABABS AS FIGHTING MEN.

Mr Tyndall, a young gentleman who•was with the 18th Hussars at the El Teb and Tamai engagements, is now m Melbourne, and m the course of an interview with a representative of the Hcruld, he thus describes the enemy : — " They have no fear of death. The Mahdi teaches them that English bullets before striking them will turn into water, and that if they are -killed m this war they will immediately be transported to the realms of bliss. They believe .him, and they fight like the fanatics they are. They have no definite order ■of attack ; they clon!t come into action m •columns or battalions, but they swarm down on their foes like bees m one headlong charge. It was. with an as-, •sault of this kind that they broke the square at Tamai. It was a calm, still inorning and there was not a breath . of air. . The smoke from our rifles when we opened fire lay a thick and impenetrable cloud between the rebels and .us,; :fendi'the beggars keeping close to the ground rushed, up under the smokyi cover and accomplished a feat which would liave .' been; creditable to more civilised Varriors. Most of them are armed with spears, lwvflng a blade about 7in> long, and a handle measuring some 12ft. ißouud the butt of the handle thei?e is a ipiece of iron coiled to balance the weapon, and I have been told they can hurl this spear some fifty yards. • The blade as a flat' one, and the wounds inflicted(urilessjsbme vital part is sti uck) are not Jusually very serious — not; nearly so bad as the stab of a triangular bayonet. They have. also '• hani-stringinir, knives.' Some of them are armed -"vith. Beiiaington rifles which they have taken from the Egyptians. On tho 4th February, 1884, '-Colonel Baker led an army of Egyptians into action, and they were slaughtered^ 'They can't fight, those Egyptians ; "they're no good, and the rebels got their ■rifle,s and four field pieces, which they used; against us. . You may be sure they never miss an opportunity of securing qrms and ammunition from the slain. m jSPEdIAL TO UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. | ':•.:.; : .-,>j-. I/ONDON, JVJjU'Cbi 13. The rebel follovrers of Osumn Digna | make daily surprises on tho British outposts at Suakim. ! : i-' i: ■'■.''" — '■■ ' ■■ " '"'■ : ■ i (BTf ELECTHIO TBLEGRAPH.— COPYRIGHT^) ! (REUT!EBS^T.ELEGiB^MB.i^, ■ [ London, March 14. i In the Hbnse of Conuiions to-day a ] i vote granting £20,000 to tlie family of \ : late, (general. Giordon was carried withont ; rdebate. . she Cotmnittee appointed to ; ; xindertake.tlie .formation of a njitional ; ' memorial to the late Qeperal Gordon ' '< 118,8 recommended the erection of a hoa- : i pital atPort Said. " " ; i Caieo, Mai^h 14. ■ ) : ' Zebelir Pasha liaylng . ,beeh. ; siispected i ■ <couimiinicAting with Malidi has been ar-j TCsted and ... conveyed on. board, thoj 1 H.M / s.lri» at Alexandria. | •.•>;.'•: V.' ;■... . .: .March 15. i Zobehr's sou and | three others have? been arrested on suspicion of being con-i cerned m coinmunicating helieved toj naWtaterf place between Zebebr andi Mahdi., •