Captain Casati, an Italian traveller, who was in Lado at this time, as it was too hot at Bahr-el-Ghazal, vigorously opposed Emin's decision. "I know that the danger is imminent," he said, "but that is no reason why we should fly."
"Defend ourselves. Lado cannot fall in a short time. The enemy cannot long maintain a siege with many people, for the country is destitute of subsistence. He must buy corn at Makraka and that is a long way off."
"But they are already well provided. The Arabs supply them with everything they need, and we here in Lado, even if we are not overcome by arms, will perish from hunger."
"That cannot be possible. We have the river behind us. We can get corn from the fertile country of Gondokoro."
"Yes, but if we go southward we will find corn in the country of the Mahdi, and if we get through to Lut it will be easy for us to establish communication with Unjoro and Uganda."
"My dear Doctor, do you not think the retreat will be even more difficult and dangerous than the defence?"
"Kerem Allah, you say, is marching victoriously against Lado. Before he succeeds he will find out what direction we are taking for our retreat. He will follow us, not by way of the river, but by a shorter route across the country. Imagine yourself attacked from the heights and cut off from the river and tell me then if there will not be a catastrophe."
"Leave the country by the northeast. But to do this the retreat must be made cautiously and quietly. I am not speaking of the soldiers. Alarmed by the fall of Amadi, they will not resist a retreat. And if we take a northward route, they will be more confident and follow."
"And do you think that such a plan, if I submit it to my officers, will be accepted?"
"Without doubt. They will depend upon the assurances of their master as usual and give their full consent."
In the morning after this conversation Emin held a council in the divan at which all the officers and officials were present. The decision was left to them whether they should go north or south. "To the south," was the universal answer. Possibly they had the feeling that Emin favored that direction.
Casati was very indignant, but Emin was right. Going to the north through a country subject to the Mahdi, with distant Egypt as their terminus, while Khartoum lay in ashes, was going to certain death. Certainly if the governor had acted without the consent of his people, they would have believed the senseless report that he would sell them as slaves in Unjoro and there make his escape to the coast alone. Emin's black soldiers were not accustomed to yield absolute obedience. From time to time their opposition had to be overcome by the lash, and who can say that they might not finally have made a successful resistance when they found themselves leaving their homes and wandering about in unknown regions? In the meantime Emin went south with his whole force, officials, wives, and children, and piles of baggage to establish himself at his residence in Madelai. No Mahdist disturbed the expedition nor did they hear of pursuit or any attempt to cut them off. Casati had taken too gloomy a view of the situation.