142 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
“ KHAETOUM, 
“ May mil, 1864. 
“ SlE, 
“ In compliance with the request addressed to me that 
I should afford you an explanation respecting a denunciation to 
the effect that you at one time were engaged in the slave trade in 
the Soudan, I have the honour of declaring most conscientiously • 
“ That no accusation to that effect against your respected per- 
son has ever at any time come to my knowledge, nor have I ever 
heard anything to this effect during the period when I acted as 
Austrian Vice-Consul here, from 1852 to 1858, or since that 
time during our many years’ acquaintance in Khartoum and 
Kordofan. 
“ I have already expressed myself two years ago to the same 
effect, respecting a similar unworthy insinuation in reports 
which had been published in the ‘ Greographical Journal’ of 
A. Petermann. 
“ As I hear, the deceased Imperial Koyal Austrian Consulate 
Administrator, Joseph Natterer, has preferred an indirect com- 
plaint against you on this subject to his Consul- G-eneralate in 
Egypt, concerning which you have had to render explanations to 
your Grovernment. 
“ I take the liberty also of declaring further that the preferrer 
of the said complaint was designated by his chief, the Imperial 
Royal Austrian Consul-Greneral, Von Schreimer, in presence of 
myself and the Imperial Royal Austrian Ministerial Councillor, 
Von Auber, as, a person upon whom no reliance could be placed, 
and consequently the accusation 'alluded to can possess neither 
legal value nor influence. 
“ I am quite ready, in case of need, to confirm the above 
statements by oath. 
(Signed) THEODORE VON HEUGLIN, 
“ The lioyal Wwiemhery Covri ConnciUorT 
