Excerpt
The latest news from India is of a most encouraging nature.
It is supposed that the announcement made by the British Government that they mean to send a strong force to punish the rebellious tribes has had a good effect.
The Afridis are reported to have held a council of war, and have decided to return to their homes and gather in their harvests. The head men of the tribe are said to be responsible for this decision, because they made a strong stand against the continuation of the war.
It is probable that the reason of their return to their homes is not altogether because of their harvests, but that other tribes which had agreed to join in the uprising have become alarmed at the action of the British, and, fearful lest they too may come in for punishment, have refused to take any part in the border war.
Haddah Mullah, the mad priest who is accused of having incited the tribes to rebel in the first instance, has also given in. It is said that he has dispersed his followers of the Swati tribe, and that they have returned to their homes.
The Mullah had been gathering forces together for an attack on Peshawar, a strong British fort. To make his attempt successful he needed more men than he had under his command; he therefore ordered a tribe called the Mohmands to join him, and marched toward Peshawar, expecting to meet them on the way.
When he and his followers arrived at the meeting-place, he found to his dismay that instead of the host of warriors he had expected, there was only a messenger from the chief of the Mohmands, who told him in very plain terms that they would have nothing to do with either the revolt or the attack on Peshawar.
On hearing this it is said that the Mullah was so discouraged that he refused to lead the Swatis anymore, and ordered his followers to go back to their homes.
If this report be indeed true, the worst of the rebellion is undoubtedly over, for the Haddah Mullah was the most dangerous enemy the British had to fear in the frontier war. By preying upon the superstitions of the tribe he had obtained such an influence over them that they regarded him as a prophet and obeyed his slightest word.
To make them fight bravely he distributed rice that had been colored pink among his followers on the eve of a battle, and assured them that all who carried it would pass through the fiercest battle without a wound or scratch.
On one occasion when the rice had been handed round from man to man it was found after the fight was over that the Mullah's hand was very badly cut. His followers began to murmur, and wonder how the giver of this charmed rice could himself be wounded in battle. The Mullah was, however, smart enough to invent a story about having seized a bayonet and purposely cut himself. His simple followers believed him, and continued to use the wonderful rice.
The withdrawal of this crafty priest from active opposition will be a great assistance to the British cause, which has also been greatly strengthened during the last few days by the friendly attitude of the Ameer of Afghanistan....