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

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 344, 20 February 1889, Page 3

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

Suakin, December 16. — A letter to Osraa'n Digna states that the steamer expedition to the equator, commanded by Osman Saleh, on arriving at Lado hud Emm Pasha and a white traveller delivered to them in chains by Emm's officers and troops. Osman Saleh in his lotber stated that he roached Lado on October 11th, and that the Khedivo had sent a white travellor named Stanley with a letter telling Emm to go with Stanley, and ofForing the remainder of the force the option of going to Cairo or remaining. They refused to enter the Turkish service, and gladly received Osman Saleh. He heard that another traveller had visited Emm, but had gone, and he was searching for him. Berlin, December 16. — Herr Merensky, chief of African missions, thinks that Emm may have been capLured, but not Stanley. 'It is more than likely,' ho eaid, ' that the * white traveller 'referred to by Osman Dignais Captain Cassate, the Italian explores' Zanzibar, December 21.— Letters dated Stanley Falls, August 29th, have been delivered here by Tippoo Tib's men. They state that a letter M r as receired at Stanley Falls from Henry M. Stanloy August 2Cth. Stanley was then at Bangala, on the Acuwimi, where he anived August 17th. He left Emm Pasha eighty-two days before in perfect health and provided with plenty of iood. Stanley had returned to Bangala for loads of stores in charge of liis rear guard, and intended to leave ten days later to rejoin Emm. He reported all the whites in the expedition healthy, and said tho 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 believed to be Stanley, had iallen into the hands of the Mahcli, were inclosed copies ot a despatch from a dervish leader at Ledo to tho Khalifa, giving tho date of Emm Pasha's surrender a3 October 10th, and a letter fiom Emm Pasha from the Khedive, which the latter handed to Henry M. Stanley when he was at Cairo. General Sir Francis Grenfell, who ib 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 for delivery to Emm Pasha. Thus Stanley's capture wa^ generally conceded. Along with his letter Osman Digna sent several Snider cartridges, which, he alleged, were taken from the white travellei . The Zanzibaris in Stanley's expedition were armed with Snider rifles, but there were none in Che possession of the Mahdists or of Emm Pasha's people. As Bangala is much more than fortythree days' travel from Ledo, where bhe surrender is said to have taken place, it is certain that it was nob Stanley who was captured, as he could not possibly be nearer Ledo than \> adclai in the time elapsing between August 28th, the date of his letter at Bangala. and October 10th, the date of the reported surrender and YVadelni is only a little over halt way between Bangala and Ledo. The West African Telegraph Company has leceived the following despatch Irom St. Thomas, dated Friday, 2 p.m. : 'I have just received information that Henry M. Stanle}', with Emm Pasha, has arrived on the Aruwimi. This news is reliable. Further details will 'follow. Parsons, agent.' In bhe Stanley Falls advices it is stated that Stanley wrote that Emm was in possession of vast stores of ivory and many oxen, and bhjit ho had an abundance of food. Stanley intended to leave Bangala at the end of August. In the House of Commons this afternoon the news from Stanley and Emm Bey was received Avith enthusiasm. London, December 22. — ' The Sunday Times ' to-morrow will state positively that Stanley is coming here triumphant. It says : We have received private despatches from two reliable sources which enable us to state with almost absolute assurance of reliability that Stanley arrived at Bangala on the Congo, not Bonalya on the Aruwimi, from Wadelai, where he had brought Emm the welcome relief 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" afc 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 Bartelot'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 the 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'a 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 has sent a despatch announcing that he has met Arab traders from Wadelai, who positively affirm that Stanley metEmiri 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 party were well, although extremely exhausted. The delay in reaching Wadelai 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 generalhealth was good. A fortnight after Stanley's arrival Emm received a message from the Mahdi pom-* pously 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 mu&t wait for the Mahdi to prove the legitimacy of • his claim to the province. Emm told 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 Mwanga. Towards the middle of April, hearing that a force of Mahdiats was coming, Emm ordered 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 April, when the traders left Wadelai, Stanley was anxious, owing to the absence of' news from his rear guard on the Aruwimi, and was arranging 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 senb out several couriers-

with news for Europe. , One was the courier who was. sent by the foreign consuls ao 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. Bjskltn, December 22. — The Committee of the Emm Rulief Association give more crodonce to the reported arrival of Stanley on the Aritwimi 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 news is verifiod. 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 oxpodition, 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.