On the nineteenth of June they met the expedition of Dr. Peters and Herr von Piedemann, who had started the year previously for Uganda, to supply Emin with munitions, but had been prevented from getting there by the prevailing disorders. Great was their surprise at finding Emin, whom they were seeking to rescue, leaving the coast fresh and active, with the intention of penetrating the interior as far at least as he had been before. Dr. Peters shared Emin’s opinion that the Germans should occupy Tabora, but Major Wissmann had strictly forbidden this as he feared that the undertaking was too great for Emin’s small force and a disaster would injure German prestige among the Arabs. It seemed, however, as if Emin were in the hands of destiny. He had issued his orders to march directly to the Victoria Nyanza, but it was impossible for him to secure the necessary number of porters. At last, as he succeeded in getting eighty-six Waramboans who lived in the neighborhood of Tabora and were going in that direction, he determined to go there. Everything went as he wished. Arriving at Kigwa, he was met by a deputation of Arabs who invited him to Tabora. They came from the Waramboans, whose chief had been killed in a battle with the Wangomans, and who implored the help of the Germans. They were on good terms with the colony. They had rendered good service to Wissmann in his encounters with Arab revolters and naturally believed they ought to have help in return.
So by dealing with them in a peaceful way, as well as by his familiarity with their habits and his skill in handling them, he succeeded (August 1, 1890) in making an agreement with them, the principal points of which were as follows: “All Arabs must subject themselves to the German government, with all their relatives and possessions, and hoist the German flag as a sign of their loyalty. They will be allowed to select their own governor, who shall be approved by the German government and be paid by it. The property rights of the Arabs and the practice of their religion shall be recognized by it. The governor shall maintain order and furnish German expeditions with supplies. Slave trading is strictly forbidden.”
Thus Emin rendered great service to his government without loss of life and at a nominal cost. Then came a message from the French missionaries at the south end of Victoria Lake announcing threatening movements on the part of the natives which obliged him to go there with his entire forces. Arriving at Bussisi the danger seemed to be over, but the missionaries directed his attention to the strong Arab colony of Massansa, which was the headquarters of the slave trade. Peaceful negotiations were useless. A battle was fought, the village was stormed and rich spoils of ivory, arms, and slaves captured. Unfortunately four Arabs who were taken and sent by Emin to the coast for trial were murdered by the Wagandians as they were crossing the lake. That was a fatal event for Emin. The Arabs, with whom he had had such friendly relations, blamed Emin for the murder, claiming that he must have known the Wagandians were the deadly enemies of the poor prisoners. They swore eternal hatred and revenge, and they kept their oath only too well.
Emin finally decided to go to the west coast of the lake and establish a strong German station for trading purposes. After mature consideration he decided upon Bukoba, on the northern frontier, for the people there were friendly and supplies were abundant. On the sixteenth of November his force was at Bukoba, and aided by the natives Emin began the building of the station. The rainy season was a great hindrance. Emin not only succeeded, but was fortunate enough to earn the gratitude of the natives, for just at this time the Wagandians made one of their customary plundering raids and were punished by him.
At this time reports came from various quarters that the Maturki had arrived north of the Albert Edward Lake. The thought immediately occurred to him: “These are my people from the Equatorial Provinces. I must see them.” All other plans, all disobedience, all open hostility, all troubles were forgotten, for the Maturki had always been the governor’s truest friends. It seemed to him at that moment that they were dear children waiting for their father to take them home. All Dr. Stuhlmann’s protests were useless. In addition to this Emin received a message of disapproval from the coast, blaming him for his arbitrary proceedings at Tabora, also stating that Wissmann was not pleased with his going to the west shore when the south shore had been settled upon as the field of operations. This mistaken view of his purposes was unendurable to Emin, who for years had been guided entirely by his own judgment in all his operations. He did not wish to return to the coast until he had accomplished something important. As it was certain that the Soudanese would never appear on the Albert Lake he determined to carry out a scheme he had long planned in secret. He would go north, gather his people, and take them to German territory, or, still better, go west and crossing the continent make a union with Cameron.[7] A noble plan indeed!
Chapter XIX
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?”