It seems actually impossible to obtain accurate intelligence from Africa.
Most men had almost made up their-minds that while Stanley had escaped, Emin Pasha and the Italian, Casati, had been captured. An Indian Mahommedan teader, however, -who arrived at Suakin on January 27th, states that he was at Khartoum in November, and knew that three Egyptian officers had been captured in Emiit's territory by the Mahdi's men, but that Emin himself had escaped, the general attack on the Equatorial Provinces having failed. He reported, also, that El Senoussi, the great organisa- tion of fighting monks, whose principal seat is in the interior of Tunis, are defeating the dervishes, and may before long drive them out of Khartoum,—a curious contrast to the statement which makes the Mahdi victorious in Wadai. The trader admits his hostility to the dervishes, who have plundered him of his wealth, and he may be desirous of a British attack on Khartoum ; but he is personally known to the corre- spondent who tells his story, and probably intends , to tell the truth. Indian Mussulmans generally narrate facts accurately enough, and the man is obviously intelligent. If his view is correct, Stanley may have reached Emin in safety.
Previous page
