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 pro- 

 vince 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 I, 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. I 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 ; 

 let 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 main- 

 tained in the province until steamers and boats could be sent 

 to carry us to Khartum ; the province was to be exempt from 

 invasion under any form ; above all, no violence was to be per- 

 mitted 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 collec- 

 tions 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 invi- 

 tations 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 



