464 LETTERS TO DR. SCHWEINFURTH, among the Danagla. Now, I knew very well that my removal would leave the way clear for anarchy, and that a descent of the Makraka Danagla on Lado would plunge the whole province into ruin. On the other hand, it was imprudent to reject the mission assigned to me, though it was evident beforehand that I should never return if I once went to the Bahr-el-Ghazal, but should have to go to Kordofan like Lupton. Amidst all these perplexities, which were aggravated by scarcity of corn, a fire broke out on June 1, dangerously near the magazine, and in a very short time destroyed a large group of houses and huts chiefly inhabited by Coptic clerks. Whereas previously every one lent a hand on such occasions, fanaticism now showed its worst side. J had to have recourse to the soldiers to get the fire put out, and when I asked a Mohammedan clerk why he did not help us, he answered, ‘“ They are Christians there ; Jet them be.” In face of such symptoms I bestirred myself, and in another assembly I laid the state of affairs before the people, proving to them that my absence could only be productive of mischief, and proposing that the Kadi should be named chief of the mission in my place. This man, strange to say, supported me, and so the deputation was sent off. Its instructions were as follows: the status quo was to be maintained in the province until steamers and boats could be sent to carry us to Kharttm ; the province was to be exempt from invasion under any form; above all, no violence was to be permitted against the Sudanese soldiers. ‘This clause was inserted in consequence of the arrival of certain letters, which threw a light of their own on the situation. They came at the same time as a letter from Keremallah to Dr. Junker, inviting him to repair immediately to Wau and take charge of his collections left there by Bohndorff, if he did not wish them to be given up to the Negroes. There were letters from Keremallah to various officials (Danagla); they were copies of the one sent to me, but being directed to them, were manifestly invitations to disregard the constituted authority and desert with their men; then there was a letter in English from Lupton Bey to Junker, containing the information that Fashoda had been given up by the Government ; and, lastly, an official letter from the commander of my station in Ayak. He wrote that