xvi INTRODUCTION.

it. This was a difficult and dangerous undertaking, for they had rooted themselves very firmly in the soil, and most of the officials in Emin’s employ were in full sympathy with them. Emin was entirely alone; no friend or helper was near.

Indeed, with the exception of a few months when Lupton Bey was his second in command, he has been alone from the day of his appointment in March 1878 until the present time. When at Lado, he had also other duties to perform ; the chief hospital of the province was there, and every morning he might be seen at 6 AM. going round its wards or engaged in prescribing for the numerous patients.

By the end of 1882, Emin Bey (for he received that title at the end of 1879) had the satisfaction of being able to report that not only was his province in a state of peace and contentment, but that he had entirely banished the slave-dealers from his borders. He had also got rid of nearly all the Egyptian soldiers, replacing them by natives whom he had trained to arms.** He had added large districts to his province, not by the use of the sword, but by personal negotiation with native chiefs. To all this must be added the cultivation of cotton, of indigo, of coffee and rice, the establishment of a regular weekly post through his dominions, the rebuilding of nearly all his stations, the construction of better and more permanent roads, the introduction of camels, and the transport of goods by oxen; and last, but not least, he was able in that year to show a net profit of £8000, whereas on his taking up the reins of government, there was a deficit of £32,000 per annum. ‘The commercial value of the province may be estimated by this successful state of affairs, which was brought about notwithstanding the fact that during the six years, 1878-84, only nine steamers * Although not a soldier by profession, Emin was obliged to act as Commanderin-Chief as well as civil Governor of the Equatorial Province. Referring to this, he remarks in one of his letters :—‘*‘ What will they expect next from an M.D.? I have been made a Governor, and now I am expected to try and qualify as a ‘General in strategy’ !”