314 REVOLT OF THE EGYPTIAN TROOPS. unaided and uncheered by any communication with the civilised world. Little by little his authority declined, and with it declined also the conscious ness of stability on the part of the man who thus saw years pass on without bringing relief to a situation which could hardly do otherwise than continually become more difficult, embarrassing, and critical. Possibly some stringent and severe measures adopted at first, and the enforcement of capital sentence in several cases, might have nipped the first signs of mutiny in the bud, and have obviated their reappearance. But it should be asked, was it to be expected of Schnitzer, the physician and the botanist, any more than of Livingstone, the conciliating missionary, that he should exhibit the stern energy and the sharp decision of a Stanley or a Wissmann ? As matter of fact, it is plain that for a consider able period Emin Pasha had had little beyond a semblance of power. Whenever he required any thing of consequence to be carried out, he could not simply issue an order, he had to submit a request to his Egyptian and Soudanese officers that what he desired should be done. These officers,