The scanty news from the heart of Africa relating to this heroic man, forsaken by all the world, doing his duty and remaining at his post undisturbed by any thought of danger or death, and deserted by the government he represented, aroused interest and increasing sympathy in Europe. In England especially it was regarded as a duty to help Emin, thereby making some reparation for the dilatory policy which had sacrificed Gordon, and with him the whole Soudan. Emin’s letter to Dr. Felkir was published in the London _Times_, in the autumn of 1886, and led to the organization of an Emin Pasha Relief Committee, under the presidency of Sir William MacKinnon. This committee quickly raised a large sum for the fitting out of a great expedition under command of Henry Morton Stanley, the founder of the Congo Free State and African expert. Stanley came at once from America and secured all the necessary supplies, weapons, and articles for barter in such quantities that Emin could hardly have long contained himself had he possessed them. Nine Europeans, at the cost of much self-sacrifice, accompanied the expedition as officers. Among them was Dr. Parke, a noble friend of humanity, who had acquired great fame by alleviating the fearful sufferings of travellers and saving many lives. The next step was the selection of a route and Stanley chose one along the Congo and across the equator, a hitherto untraversed region. He had a special reason for selecting this route. He was anxious to complete his earlier discoveries and the possibility of going across Africa with such a large and finely equipped expedition might not occur again, for he had over six hundred carriers besides soldiers with him and he feared that these people might desert him and go back to the east coast if he went by way of Zanzibar. As they were situated, they had to follow him if they wished to get home again, for flight would only take them to unknown regions where death certainly awaited them.