Surrender of Lupton, 1884.On Karamalla’s[189] appointment as Emir of Bahr El Ghazal, he summoned Lupton to surrender, and this the latter, after gallantly fighting for 18 months, was obliged, by the defection of his troops, to do (21st April, 1884). He was christened Emir Abdalla, and sent to Omdurman, where he died on the 17th July, 1888.
Thus the last vestige of Egyptian authority disappeared in the Bahr El Ghazal.
Emin and his province.The Equatorial province, meanwhile, which extended from the Albert Nyanza to Lado (its capital), and included (since 1881) the provinces of Bor and Rohl and the northern part of Unyoro, was under the charge of Emin Bey (Edward Schnitzer, born 1840), who had been placed there by Gordon in 1879. His forces in 1882 consisted of two battalions (about 1,300) of Egyptian and Sudanese troops, and 3,000 irregulars, distributed amongst 40 to 50 stations. This province was, by the end of 1882, practically the only Egyptian territory south of Khartoum which was not in sympathy with the Mahdi.
Karamalla, in May (27th), 1884, summoned Emin to surrender. The latter, whose men were greatly scattered and, by this time, considerably disaffected, agreed to send a deputation to surrender, but meanwhile held out at Lado and Amadi, hoping for reinforcements. 1885.Amadi fell in March, 1885, and on the 18th April Karamalla arrived within three days of Lado, and informed Emin of the fall of Khartoum. Emin thereupon determined to retire south to Wadelai, giving up the more northerly posts.
Karamalla shortly afterwards was obliged to fall back, owing to disturbances in the Bahr El Ghazal caused by several Emirs refusing to recognise the Khalifa Abdalla as successor of the Mahdi, and Emin retired to Wadelai to open friendly relations with Kabarega, King of Unyoro. Meanwhile Lado and Rejaf were attacked by negro tribes in the district, but held out.
1886.On the 26th February, 1886, Emin received, through the assistance of Kabarega, letters from Cairo, viâ Zanzibar, in which he was informed by Nubar Pasha (dated 2nd November, 1885) that the Sudan was abandoned, and he “might take any steps he liked should he decide to leave the country.” Dr. Junker, who had been, off and on, with Emin since January, 1884, started for Zanzibar, viâ Uganda, in January, 1886, and his representations in Europe had the effect of starting the Emin Relief Expedition.
1887.During 1886 and 1887 a mutinous spirit had been brewing amongst Emin’s troops, who wished to retire northwards instead of southwards. Stanley’s relief expedition.On the 15th December, 1887, the advanced guard of Stanley’s expedition arrived at the Albert Nyanza, but, not hearing any news of Emin, went back for their boat, which had been left at Kilonga Longa’s. Kabarega now, to whom Emin had sent Casati[190] to keep open communications with Zanzibar, on hearing that Stanley had fought and defeated the Mazamboni, his allies, changed his friendly attitude to Emin, thinking that the latter had sent for Stanley to invade his (Kabarega’s) country. He therefore treated Casati outrageously, and expelled him with the greatest ignominy.
1888.Stanley and Emin eventually met at Nsabé (Kavalli’s) on 29th April, 1888, and thereupon reports of a great invading White Pasha spread to Omdurman, with the result that the Khalifa in July sent up thence three steamers, six barges, and 4,000 troops to annihilate him. Stanley went back again on 24th May to pick up his rear guard, leaving Mounteney Jephson and a small escort with Emin, to escort him round his province, and settle whether he should retire or not. The Khedive’s “orders,” which Stanley brought with him, were to the effect that Emin and his men might come back with Stanley, or stay on at their own risk.
The garrisons in the south said they would go with Emin, but the troops at Labore mutinied, and a general revolt broke out, headed by Fadl el Mula, Governor of Fabbo; thus, on arriving at Dufile, Emin and Jephson were practically made prisoners (18th August, 1888). Arrival of Dervishes.On the 15th October news arrived that the above-mentioned Mahdists, in barges, were at hand, and two days afterwards three messengers arrived from Omar Saleh, the Mahdist commander, to summon Emin to surrender. The mutineers now released Emin, and decided to fight, and during November and December continuous fighting went on between Lado and Dufile. Fall of Rejaf.Rejaf was taken by the Dervishes on 15th November, and much loot, several prisoners and captured despatches, ammunition, tarbushes, and flags, were sent by Omar to Omdurman, whence a portion was forwarded through Osman Digna to General Grenfell at Suakin. This gave rise to all sorts of surmises in Egypt as to the fate of Emin and Stanley.
During December, Emin’s mutinous troops kept the Dervishes at bay between Wadelai and Rejaf, and eventually severely defeated them, driving them back to Rejaf. They did not, however, follow up their victory, and, under the leadership of Fadl el Mula Bey, remained in and about Wadelai, whilst the Dervishes strengthened their post at Rejaf.