EMIN BEY AND STANLEY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1985, 21 December 1889, Page 3

EMIN BEY AND STANLEY.

London, November 8.

The Emin Pasha Eelief Committee has recieved a letter from Mr H. M. Stanley, stating that be, with Emin Pasha, Signor Casati, and other Europeans, and about 800 natives, reached the Victoria Nyanza on the 29th August, and are now marching for the coast, where they are expected to arrive in January or February. From Mr Stanley’s letter it appeared that the Mahdi triumphed all over Emin’s province, and that Emin was rescued only just in time. The letter states that Mr Stanley reached the Albert Nyanza from Bavalya, the place of despatch of his last letter, for the third time during 140 days. There he found that Emin and Mr Jephson had both been prisoners'since the 18th of August last year. The troops in the equatorial province had revolted and shaken off all allegiance, and shortly afterwards the Mahdista invaded the province in full force. A fter the first battle many of the stations yielded panic stricken, and the natives joined the invaders. The fugitives were killed, and there was great loss of ammunition. The invaders suffered a reverse in attacking Dufile, and despatched a steamer to Khartoum for reinforcements. Mr Stanley, when journeying back te the Albert Nyanza, received a letter stating the dangerous position of the survivors there. He hurried on, reached there on the 18th January, and for the third time waited for the fugitives, until the Bth of May. He then left the Albert Nyanza homeward bound. Mr Stanley describes the route by which he travelled, and gives details of the river sources and the Lakes route.

In an article explaining Mr Stanley’s | letter, the Times says it is evident that ■ Mr Stanley bad solved almost the only problem which remained in the great Nile question, begun 3000 or more years ago. He has filled up the most important blank in the maps. H© has done more than this. While his mission has not exactly turned out as was hoped, he has certainly in the truest sens© succored and rescued Emin, and if at a great sacrifice the blame can hardly be said to rest with him. The other papers make similar comments, and point out that the wave of Mohammedanism is spreading over the whole of equatorial Africa. The general feeling of satisfaction at Mr Stanley’s escape from the many dangers of his perilous journey has been enhanced by the sad news of the terrible fate which has overtaken the German Emin relief expedition under Dr. Peters. Authentic news has reached Tamu that Dr, Peters and the whole of his party had been massacred, with the exception of one European and one Somali. The reports differ as to whether they were killed by Masais or Somalis, The Emin Pascha Belief Committee at Berlin have received a telegram confirming the report, according to which the doctor himself was stated to have been killed. Lieutenant Tiedmann, one of his companions, was wounded, but succeeded in reaching a place of safety. The second column of the expedition, under the command of Herr Oscar Boarchert and Capt. Bust, had not joined the advance guard under Dr. Peters’ leadership at the time of the disaster. The Daily-News, correspondent ; at Berlin throws some light on the possible cause of the massacre. According to this correspondent Dr. Peters is stated to have been accompanied by only 25 Somalis, but when he set out from Vitu on the 26th Ju\y, it was officially stated that the expedition consisted of 25 Somalis, 98 carriers, 85 men, 13 women, and 8 servants and drivers. It seems either that all the carriers and servants had been discharged or had deserted immediately after starting from Vitu. Dr. Peters had engaged with the Masai tribe which murdered him to transport his baggage to Dptana in six canoes. A dispute arose with the Masais, and the latter attacked Lieutenant Tiedmann, who could only save himself by slaying four of them. It is therefore probable that the murder of Dr. Peters was an act of vengeance.