At the end of May, Mahmud with his army arrived at Omdurman.  The Khalifa received him with delight, and several imposing reviews were held outside the city.  Mahmud himself was eager to march against the ‘Turks.’  He had no experience of modern rifles, and felt confident that he could easily destroy or at least roll back the invading forces.  Partly persuaded by the zeal of his lieutenant, and partly by the wavering and doubtful attitude of the Jaalin, the Khalifa determined early in June to send the Kordofan army to occupy Metemma, and thereby either to awe the tribe into loyalty, or force them to revolt while the Egyptian troops were still too distant to assist them.  He summoned the chief of the Jaalin, Abdalla-Wad-Saad, to Omdurman, and informed him that the Jaalin territories were threatened by the Turks.  In the goodness of his heart, therefore, and because he knew that they loved the Mahdi and practised the true religion, he was resolved to protect them from their enemies.  The chief bowed his head.  The Khalifa continued that the trusty Mahmud with his army would be sent for that purpose; Abdalla might show his loyalty in furnishing them with all supplies and accommodation.  He intimated that the interview was over.  But the Jaalin chief had the temerity to protest.  He assured the Khalifa of his loyalty, and of the ability of his tribe to repel the enemy.  He implored him not to impose the burden of an army upon them.  He exaggerated the poverty of Metemma; he lamented the misfortunes of the times.  Finally he begged forgiveness for making his protest.

The Khalifa was infuriated.  Forgetting his usual self-control and the forms of public utterance, he broke out into a long and abusive harangue.  He told the chief that he had long doubted his loyalty, that he despised his protestations, that he was worthy of a shameful death, that his tribe were a blot upon the face of the earth, and that he hoped Mahmud would improve their manners and those of their wives.

Abdalla-Wad-Saad crept from the presence, and returned in fury and disgust to Metemma.  Having collected the head men of his tribe, he informed them of his reception and the Khalifa’s intent.  They did not need to be told that the quartering upon them of Mahmud’s army meant the plunder of their goods, the ruin of their homes, and the rape of their women.  It was resolved to revolt and join the Egyptian forces.  As a result of the council the Jaalin chief wrote two letters.  The first was addressed to the Sirdar, and reached General Rundle at Merawi by messenger on the 24th of June.  It declared the Jaalin submission to the Government, and begged for help, if possible in men, or, failing that, in arms; but ended by saying that, help or no help, the tribe were resolved to fight the Dervishes and hold Metemma to the death.  The second letter—­a mad and fatal letter—­carried defiance to the Khalifa.