Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, 1887-89

Background.

Explorer Samuel Baker was the first governer of the new Egyptian province of Equatoria (1869-71) followed by General Gordon (1873-76), who became governer's-general of all of Sudan. Gordon appointed Eduard Schnitzer (Emin Pasha) as governer of Equatoria. Under Emin's governership, Equatoria flourished.

Their boss, the Egyptian Khedive Ismail was in debt, forced eventually to sell out to the British. Egypt -and by extention Sudan, was still part of the dying Ottoman Empire, but the British were now in charge, with Ismail as puppet.

In Khartoum at about the same time, a Sudanese Muhammad Ahmed declared himself to be 'Mahdi' (the Expected One). After half a century of Egypian exploitation, Sudan was ready for payback, and over the next two years the Mahdi jihad gradually controlled most of Sudan.

The British decided to quit Sudan, and recalled Gordon (who had resigned) to evacuate Khartoum. Soon after Gordon's arrival (Feb 1884), Khartoum was under seige and held out for a year, but eventually fell to the Mahdists. Gordon was killed, and became a martyr in England.

With Khartoum in Mahdist hands, and with Bahr-el-Ghazal falling shortly after, Equatoria was cut off. Emin Pasha, fearing an attack, arranged for all of his people to leave Lado and fall back to Wadelai.

Hysteria in the British newspapers whiped up support for Emin, describing him as 'Gordon's last lieutenant'. Although Gordon had been dead for over a year, the public still blamed their government as acting too slow. With the rescue of Emin, the slate would be cleared. Businessmen organised the 'Committee for the Relief of Emin Pasha', while the British government sat on it's hands. Stanley was chosen to lead the relief mission.

There were darker motives lurking. Businessman William Mackinnon wanted to open up east Africa for his Imperial British East Africa Company, and Léopold II, (King of the Belgians and owner of the Congo Free State) had similar ideas for his Congo.
Stanley, wanted to bring Emin back to ensure his own hero status.- he didn't want to repeat of the 'Livingstone' show (where Livingston prefered to stay put exploring Africa, not going with Stanley).
Eventually the committee chose the Congo route as Léopold held the trump card. Stanley was under contract to Léopold, and would only be released if they chose his route. Léopold tossed in a sweetener - he would make available the entire fleet of steamers of the Congo Free State to transport the expedition up the Congo. As it turned out, the Free State owned only one operational vessel.

Arriving in Zanzibar, Stanley arranges porters, supplies, visits notables, and sets off in February 1887 with 802 persons as the the most lavish and best equipped expedition ever seen in Africa. They rounded the 'Cape' and arrived at Banana Point, a small enclave of European trading stations at the mouth of the Congo river. They found only one vessel available from Léopold but managed to beg 4 more from the other stations. They finally steamed up the Congo to Matadi, then to avoid the many rapids, treked 380km overland to Stanley Pool.

Most arrived at Stanley Pool starving on 21 April 1887, with 57 men lost to death or desertion, at least 100 more ill or injured, and 38 rifles missing. Stanley had intended to barter cheap cloth and trinkets for food, but the whole area at this time was in the grip of famine. Belgian warnings of famine, Stanley had chosen to ignore.

watch this space...continued next month.