NEWS FROM STANLEY. BELIEVED TO BE COMING HOME. The Mahdi's Captives – Who Are They?

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 343, 16 February 1889, Page 5

NEWS FROM STANLEY. BELIEVED TO BE COMING HOME. The Mahdi's Captives - Who Are They?

Siiakin, December 16.— A letter to Osman Digna states that the steamer expedition to the equator, commanded by Osman Saluh, on arriving at Lado had Emm Pasha and a white traveller delivered to them in chains by Emm's officers and troops. O&man Saleh in his letter stated that he reached | Lado on October 11th, and that the Khedive had sent a white traveller named Stanley with a lettor telling Emm to go with Stanley, and offering the remainder of the force the option of going to Cairo or remaining. They refused to enter the Turkish service, and gladly received Osman Salt h. He heaid that another traveller had visited Emm, but had gone, and he w.is searching for him. Berlin, December 16. — Herr Merensky, chief of African missions, thinks that Emm may have been captured, but not Stanley. 'It is more than likely,' he said, * that the ' white travellei 'refened to by Osman Dignais Captain Caesate, the Italian explorei.' Zv>zibatc, December 21. — Letters dated Stanley Falls, August 29th, have been delivered here by Tippoo Tib'e men. They state that a letter was received at Stanley Falls from Henry M. Stanley August 28th. Stanley was then at Bangala, on the Aruwimi, where he ariived August 17th. He left Emm Pasha eighty-two days before in perfect health and provided with plenty of food. Stanley had returned to Bangala for loads of stores in charge of his rear guard, and intended to leave ten days later to rejoin Emm. He reported all the whites in the expedition healthy, and aaid the expedition wanted nothing. London, December 21st. — In the lette received at Suakin from Osman Digna a few days ago, and which contained the announcement that Emm Pasha and a white traveller, who Mas belie\ed to be Stanley, had fallen into the hands of the Mahdi, were inclosed copies of a despatch from a dervish leader at Ledo to the Khalifa, giving the date of Emm Pasha's surrender a3 October 10th, and a letter from Emm Pasha from the Khedive, which the latter handed to Henry M. Stanley when he was at Cairo. General Sir Francis Grenfell, who is in chief command at Suakin, recognized the letter which Osman Digna had inclosed as the original one which he had drafted for the Khedive, and which the latter had handed to Stanley foi delivery to Emm Pasha. Thus Stanley's capture was generally conceded. Along with his letter Osman Digna sent se\eral Snider cartridges, which, he alleged, were taken from the white traveller. The Zanzibaris in Stanley's expedition were armed with Snider rifles, bub there were none in the poese.-sion of the Mahdists or of Emm Pasha's people. As Bangala is much more than fortythree days' travel trom Ledo, where the surrender is said to have taken place, it is certain that it was not Stanley who was captured, as he could nob possibly bo nearer Ledo than Wadelai in the time elapsing between August 28th, the date of his letter at Bangala. and October 10th, the date of the reported surrender and Wadelai is only a little over half way botween Bangala and Ledo. The West African Telegraph Company has received the following despatch from St. Thomas, dated Friday, 2 p.m. : 'I June just received information that Henry iU Stanley, with Emm Pasha, has arrived on the Aruwimi. This news is reliable. Further details will follow. Paisons, agent.' In the Stanley Falls advices it is stated that Stanley wrote that Emm was in possession of vast stores of ivoiy and niuny oxen, and that he had an abundance of fuod. Stanley intended to leave Bangala at the end of August. In the House of Commons this afternoon the news from Stauley and Emm Bey was received with enthusiasm. London, December 22. — 'The Sunday Times ' to-morrow will state posithely that Stanley is coming here triumphant. It says : We have received private despatches from two leliable sources which enable us to state with almost absolute assurance of reliability that Stanley ari ived at Bangala on the Congo, not Bonalya on the Aruwimi, from Wadelai, wheie he had brought Emm the welcome lelief that Gordon's famous officer had so long looked for. One of our despatches states that Stanley left Emm after a short stay and went back to Bangala for cartridges and other materials which were needed at Wadelai, and, taking these and other stores, he made a second visit to Wadelai. This is borne out, more or less, by Zanzibar despatches. Our second message simply states that Stanley has relieved Emm Bey, and is now on the Congo collecting his goods and getting together the remainder of Baitelot's party, of whose officers only Ward and Bonney remain. It is suggested that his homeward route will be via Ujiji and Usala to Zanzibar. Sir Francis Dewinton, President of fche Emm Relief Commission, states that he does not believe Stanley and Emm were captured. He momentarily expects a telegram from Stanley. He declares Osman Digna's letter was a trick, which entirely failed in its purpose. Zanzibar, December 22.— One of the special messengers sent into the interior in October in the hope of obtaining news of Emm and Stanley from caravans haß sent a despatch announcing that he has met Arab traders from Wadelai, who positively affirm th.it Stanley met Emm there about January 20th. Stanley, the traders said, had thirtythree men and plenty of stores. He had endured great privations, but he and all his pa ty were well, although extremely ex hausted. The delay in reaching Wadel i was due to the difficulties encountered on the route. Emm was in a fairly good position, although some of his Egyptian officers were grumbling and many of his soldiers had deserted. The Kings of Uganda and Unyoro were hostile to Emm, who was obliged in November to repel depredatory incursions from the east. His general health ■was good. A fortnight after Stanley's arrival Emm received a message from the Mahdi pompously intimating his intention to subdue the whole country as far as the great lake, and promising good treatment if he submitted. Emm replied that before evacuating he mubt wait for the Mahdi to prove the legitimacy of his claim to the province, Emm tola Stanley that he did not desire to leave Wadelai. The entire route to the east coast was most dangerous on account of incessant agitation among the tribes and the hostility of Mwanjja. Towards the middle of April, hearing that a force of Mahdiets was coming, Emm orderod his advanced posts, between Dufile and Ledo, to retire to Wadelai, and Stanley sent messages to the Kings of Uganda and Unyoro. About the end of Aprif, vrhen the traders left Wadelai, Stanley was anxious, owing to the absence of new* from his rear ' guard on the Aruwimi, and was arranging j to send a strong detachment in search of them along the route which he himself had followed. Stanley also again urged Emm to leave Wadelai with him and regain the coast. Stanley sent out several couriers

with news for Europe. One was the courier who was sent by the foreign consuls- afe Zanzibar to apprise Emm of the departure of the relief expedition. This courier had remained at Wadelai, and was sent back to the east coast after Stanley. Another courier was sent in the direction of Aruwimi. Bermk, December 22.— The Committee of the Emm Belief Association give more credence to the reported arrival of Stanloy on the Aruwimi than they did to Osman Digna's story of Emm Pasha's capture, but they have decided to continue the preparations for sending out the Wissmann expedition for Emm's relief until the nows is verified. The departure of Lieutenant Wissmann will now be retarded until early in February. Although the release of Emm Pasha will be one object of the expedition, it will also act in support of anti-slave operations. Brussels, December 22.— King Leopold has received from St. Thomas a telegram confirming the report of the arrival of Stanley and Emm Pasha on the Aruwimi.