Dear Sir,—I have been held a prisoner here since August. We knew as soon as the Mahdists arrived and captured the station of Redjaf that we should be attacked one day or another, and there seemed to be little hope that we should escape. Jephson, who has been of great assistance to me in all my difficulties, will inform you what has been done here and will also give you valuable advice in case you decide to come here as the people wish. Should you come, you will greatly oblige me if you will take measures for the safety of my little girl, for I am very anxious about her. Should you, on the other hand, decide not to come, then I can only wish you a safe and happy return home. I beg you to convey to your officers and men my hearty thanks and my most cordial gratitude to all those in England by whose generosity the expedition was sent out. Believe me, dear sir, Your most devoted, Dr. Emin Thus Emin was in the power of his barbarous inferiors, who, if they felt so disposed, could end his life any moment. But the province was in danger of being overrun by the swarms of Mahdists, and in that case there would be no alternative for man, woman, or child, but death or slavery. The efforts of the relief expedition had been wasted for a year, a very hell of torment had been endured, and hundreds of lives had been sacrificed, only at last to hasten the doom of Emin, for there is no doubt that the arrival of Stanley with his tattered, hungry people kindled the torch of revolt. The people of the Equatorial Provinces would not leave their country and exchange its comfort for poverty and wretchedness, and deaf to every protest of reason imprisoned their governor, who they believed would take them to strange countries, sell them as slaves, and forsake them. Fortunately Jephson reached the camp and Stanley learned from his own mouth what had transpired. He described the dissensions and insubordination of the Soudanese officers which made it impossible to organize any defence against the enemy approaching from the north. Stanley was indignant at the condition of affairs. “As they will not go they can stay and perish. But how can we save the Pasha?” “The Pasha would come to us if there were nothing to hinder,” said Jephson, “but he will not be rescued alone. These people have deceived him, imprisoned him, and treated him shamefully, and yet he will not be induced to forsake them when it means their certain destruction.” “That is bad,” said Stanley. “We shall have to carry him off by force.”