35° RETREAT OF THE FIFTEEN HUNDRED. march. The route was to the south, skirting the region of the forests, which Stanley with his pre sent party would not have dared to face, as the Egyptians seemed to have very vague notions about the journey. Besides, there was the ques tion of food, which would prevent a company of 1500 people from attempting a passage through a district where caravans of only 200 or 300 had sometimes narrowly escaped perishing with hunger. Nevertheless, though much has been said to the contrary, Stanley never regretted that he went to Emin’s relief by way of the Aruwimi, instead of from Zanzibar through the Masai country. This may be seen from the following extract from a letter that he wrote to Sir William Mackinnon :— “ By-the-bye, Emin Pasha said it was very lucky I did not approach him from the east by way of the Masai and Ukedo, or Langgo as he calls it. The Langgo land is a great waterless desert for the most part. Even if we had been able to pierce through the Wakedi, it is doubtful if the want of food and water had not annihilated the expedition. . . . Now that we know the Ituri so well, I feel convinced that we could not have chosen a better route.”