Western Sudan.The great religious Sheikh El Senussi, who had previously been residing at the oasis of Kufra, becoming uneasy at the advance of the French in the Lake Chad region, as well as being apprehensive of the possible eventualities that might follow the victory of Omdurman, moved his headquarters to Geru,[214] about 10 days north of Abesher, in the year 1900. In order, too, to extend his influence and safeguard his interests, he established a zawia at Bir Alali about four days north of Lake Chad and wrote on three separate occasions to Sultan Ali Dinar of Darfur requesting him to prepare zawias for him in Jebel Marra and in Dar Zaghawa. The Sultan, however, was unwilling to be saddled with such an illustrious but inconvenient guest, and the matter eventually fell through in 1902. From that time no visits of Senussiists to El Fasher have been reported.
At last the situation in the west was brought to a head by a French patrol searching a Senussiist zawia in Kanem for reported arms. A collision ensued some time in August, 1901, which was insignificant and partook of the nature of a raid. On 19th November, however, a more serious collision took place, in which a small French force was defeated by Sheikh el Barrani, the Senussi representative in Kanem.
On the 18th January, 1902, the French, strongly reinforced, attacked the Senussiists at the zawia of Alali, in Kanem, and the latter, though assisted by the Aulad Suleiman (Tuareg) tribe, sustained a severe defeat.
The Jehad was now proclaimed by the Senussi, and hundreds of his adherents flocked into Geru from Tripoli, Wadai, and the surrounding deserts. It appears, however, that the intention of the Senussi was merely to act on the defensive, for no forward movement was undertaken; there were even rumours that the Sheikh intended to retire north to Kufra to avoid collision with the enemy. At a third action, however, which appears to have been fairly decisive, Mohammed Abu Egeil, the Senussi general in Kanem, was killed, and the Senussiists fell back eastwards and northwards.
During May, 1902, the Sheikh el Senussi sickened, owing, it is said, to his anxiety regarding the situation. He is reported to have died on 30th May, and to have nominated his nephew, Ahmed el Sherif, as his successor. The story of his death was not confirmed, and for a long time rumours were rife of his appearance at Kufra, at Jaghbub, etc., with the intention of proclaiming himself a Mahdi, of going to Mecca on pilgrimage, etc., etc.; the shrine in which he was buried was reported to have been opened, and found empty, and many other stories of his reappearance were told. It seems, however, most probable that he did die on or about the date given, and it is certain that his successor has removed himself and all his property back to Kufra.
Darfur.In July Ali Dinar reported that Arabi Dafaalla, ex-Dervish Emir on the Upper Nile, had surrendered to him with all his men and 3,000 rifles, and had received the “Aman.”
Cholera.During the summer the cholera, which had been ravaging Egypt, made its appearance at Halfa, and eight natives died. Owing, however, to the strict surveillance there and at Suakin no further cases occurred in the Sudan.
On the 20th July Major Hunter, Acting Commandant of Bahr el Ghazal, died of blackwater fever.
British garrison.During the winter of 1902-03 the British garrison of Khartoum was raised from one company, which up to this time had remained only during the cold weather, to a whole battalion, permanently quartered there.
Small disturbances.Various small raids into the Sudan took place during the years 1900-03 along the Abyssinian frontier, the chief offenders being Wad Mahmud in the Keili district, and a brigand named Hakos on the border near Gallabat. Appeals to the higher Abyssinian authorities produced little result, owing to their want of control over these outlying districts. The end of these two brigands is recorded later.