x INTRODUCTION. 



Geographical Society petitioned Government to assist them in 

 equipping one. The project, however, was not destined to be 

 carried out by them, for the Government gave their consent 

 to a scheme organised by Mr. W. Mackinnon of Ballinakill, 

 who, in conjunction with several of his friends, sent out an ex- 

 pedition under Mr. Stanley in January 1 887, a sum of £ 1 0,000 

 being subscribed towards it by the Egyptian Government. 



In order to satisfy the desire expressed by Germans to 

 know more of their countryman, Professor Katzel of Leipzig 

 and Professor Schweinfurth of Cairo undertook to publish a 

 collection of Emin Pasha's letters, feeling that this was the best 

 way of making him known ; and it is in consequence of the 

 interest felt in him in our own country, that the publishers of 

 this English edition are induced to present a translation of 

 the German work to the British public. It is hoped that it 

 will meet with that appreciation which the letters and journals 

 deserve, full as they are of interesting details concerning the 

 geography, botany, zoology, and, above all, the ethnology of the 

 very heart of Africa, and dealing, as they do, with a desperate 

 struggle for liberty and civilisation, carried on single-handed by 

 a European, within the stronghold of slavery and barbarism. 



As I have often been asked, " Who is Emin Pasha ? " I 

 will quote a few sentences about his past life from the Intro- 

 duction to the German edition of this book : — 



" It is not our intention to give here a biography of this 

 important man ; his name belongs to the history of our times, 

 and his work is, please God, not nearly finished. Emin Pasha 

 forms at the present time the central point around which all the 

 interest in Central Africa revolves, and now that it is generally 

 known that the Arabic name ' Emin ' is only a cognomen 

 chosen by a German in yartibus wjidclhnn , curiosity is 

 aroused, and people are making all kinds of speculations as to 

 his birthplace. We therefore consider it our duty to give a 

 few facts concerning his early life which have been supplied to 

 us by his nearest relations. 



