CHAPTER XVI.

THE FAMINE AT OMDURMAN--1888-1889.

Ohrwalder describes Omdurman--The Mahdi's tomb, and how it was built--Pilgrimage to Mecca forbidden--A description of the great mosque--The Khalifa's palace--The markets-- The population--The Khalifa's tyrannical rule--The terrible famine of 1888-1889--Awful scenes and sufferings--The plague of locusts 273