458 LETTERS TO DR. SCHWEINFURTH. 



Things are going on very badly in the Bahr-el-Ghazal pro- 

 vince ; almost the entire northern half of the country is in 

 open rebellion, and Lupton Bey has lost his best men in the 

 repeated fights. He had never very many of them, but the 

 worst part of it is, that the Danagla are in close communica- 

 tion with the Mahdi's people in Kordofan. I quote the follow- 

 ing words from Lupton (from Ganda, August 20, 1883) : — " The 

 Arabs are, I am told, in company with Gallabas, determined 

 to attack us at Dem Sebayr (Dem Ziber) as soon as Hareef 

 is over. Slaves are bought and sold now for ammunition ; 

 three packets will buy a boy, five a girl, two girls a Reming- 

 ton." This gives a better idea of our circumstances than any 

 description. 



But it is not in the Bahr-el-Ghazal alone that the Negroes 

 are disaffected ; things begin to look lively with us also. 

 You know, from Baker's book, about Chief Loron (Baker's 

 Alloron) and his intrigues against the Government. Since 

 the management of this province was given into my hands, I 

 have endeavoured to make friends with this chief, and until 

 now we have been on the best of terms. Nevertheless, he is 

 again the guiding spirit of all the intrigues here, and only a 

 few days ago he invited the chiefs of Belinian and Lokoya to 

 make a combined attack on Lado, as there were but few 

 soldiers, and no ammunition there, which, alas, is only too 

 true. We have held out so far, but it is very doubtful if 

 we could resist a combined attack of all the Bari. The greater 

 part of my men are in the Dinka district ; the rest are scattered 

 over a country which extends from 8° to 2° N. lat. Assistance 

 from Khartum — well, you see well enough what that means. 

 Old Mohammed Said Pasha and his men have been starved 

 out, and have had to surrender to the Mahdi, because they 

 were not supported from Khartum. It is doubtful whether 

 Slatin is still alive. Lupton is almost deserted, and I have no 

 arms and supplies. 



I have had no news of Dr. Junker for a long time. Lupton 

 informs me that transport of baggage to the Meshra is not 

 to be thought of. I do not know what Junker will do now. 

 Had he come here he might have gone to the south if necessary, 

 for Kabrega would have sent him forward on my recommenda- 



