Again with the Soudanese
On the twelfth of May, 1891, Emin asked Dr. Stuhlmann whether he would
accompany him to unknown regions or return to the coast. The scheme
seemed so attractive that he declared he would not leave him and was all
the more easily persuaded as the Pasha could only spare him a few men
and Stuhlmann would have to traverse a highly insecure region almost
destitute of subsistence. So they went northwards. The journey was slow
and toilsome, for the packs were too heavy for the bearers and most of
the people had to do double duty all day.
Even yet Emin did not realize the difficulties. He was only occupied
with the thought that he would see his former subjects again, whom he
was forced by Stanley to leave. All this time the thought was uppermost
in his heart what would become of these poor badly managed people,
threatened north and south by fierce enemies and not united among
themselves? Surely some dreadful fate would overtake them. At last came
the day when the expedition actually entered the Soudan. It was hard for
Emin to hide his excitement behind that demeanor of dignity and
composure which he always maintained so as to keep the respect of his
people. We cannot but think how eagerly their former governor listened
to the story of matters in his province. It was sad enough!
A part of the Soudanese under the leadership of Selim Bey had followed
Stanley's expedition, but as they did not overtake it they came back
full of resentment against those who had left them to their fate. But
their effort was not entirely unrewarded. One day a cow stumbled into a
gully and in getting her out they found a number of chests which Stanley
had deposited there, as he had not men enough to carry them, filled with
powder and cartridges. That was really a Godsend in time of need. It was
only the lack of munitions that made the situation of these poor people
so doubtful, for they daily feared attacks from the Mahdists, in which
case they would have been slaughtered like a defenceless herd. Now they
could maintain themselves in the five southern stations of the
Equatorial Provinces. The discord among themselves was so great that it
sometimes led to bloodshed. Several officers had usurped authority and
fought on opposite sides and some traitors had even gone over to the
Mahdists to induce them to enter the country. Want prevailed everywhere.
The herds of cattle had perished from a disease which at certain times
in Africa attacks these animals as well as giraffes and gazelles.
Provisions were dear and the people wore skins. There was no recognized
general authority. Officers as well as soldiers promoted themselves, and
sometimes so rapidly that, as at Kavalli, there were more officers than
soldiers.
Emin called his people together to make an agreement with them and the
same discouraging result was repeated which had so sorely tried
Stanley's patience. One party was willing to go with the Pasha,
conditional, however, upon taking the nearest route to the coast. But,
as we know, Emin had projected bolder plans, in the development of which
he counted upon the help of the Soudanese. The usual delays occurred and
the evil-disposed circulated all kinds of senseless stories. They said
that the Khedive, enraged because Emin had left his soldiers in the
interior and set out for the coast alone, had driven him off and that he
was wandering about trying to find a habitation. Notwithstanding these
reports, he could not find it in his heart to leave the malicious
inventors of them in the lurch. He writes to his sister: "I am foolish
enough, in spite of everything, to keep my interest in these people."
There were a few faithful souls whom he would save even as Abraham
appealed to his God: "Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty
righteous, wilt thou destroy all the city [Sodom] for lack of five?"
After long delay twenty-nine men, one hundred and one women, and
eighty-one children decided to go with their former governor, though the
little band promised to be much more troublesome than useful to him. But
Emin was not discouraged at this turn of events. He made no complaints
and was only concerned that the people who had been assured of help
should not suffer.