The Discovery of the Source of the Nile | Page 4

the idea of exploring Africa, before his ten years were up,
and on their conclusion he was appointed a member of the expedition
preparing to start under Sir Richard (then Lieutenant Burton) for the
Somali country. He was wounded by the Somalis, and returned to
England on sick leave; the Crimean War then breaking out, be served
through it, and later, December 1856, joined another expedition under
Burton. Then it was that the possibility of the source of the Nile being
traced to one of the inland lakes seems to have struck him.
Burton's illness prevented him accompanying Speke on the latter's visit
to the lake now known as Victoria Nyanza. During this expedition
Speke reached the most southerly point of the lake, and gave it its
present name. Speke arrived back in England in the spring of 1859,
Burton being left behind on account of his illness. The relations
between the two had become strained, and this was accentuated by
Speke's hast to publish the account of his explorations. He was given
the command of another expedition which left England in April 1860,
in company with Captain James Augustus Grant, to ascertain still
further if the Victoria Nyanza were indeed the source of the Nile. He

met Sir Samuel Baker, to whom he gave valuable assistance, and who
with his clue discovered the third lake, Albert Nyanza.
Speke telegraphed early in 1863, that the Nile source was traced.
Returning to England that year he met with an ovation, and addressed a
special meeting of the Geographical Society, and the same year, 1863,
published his "Journal of the Discovery of the Nile." Opposed in his
statements by Burton and M'Queen (The Nile Basin, 1864"), it was
arranged that he and Burton should meet for a debate, when on the very
day fixed, Speke accidentally shot himself while out
partridge-shooting.
Sir R. Murchison, addressing the Royal Geographical Society that year,
speaks of Speke's discovery of the source of the Nile as solving the
"problem of all ages."
Only two books were published by Speke--the "Journal" of 1863,
which follows, and its sequel--"What Led to the Discovery of the
Source of the Nile," which appeared in the year of his death, 1864.

Introduction.

In the following pages I have endeavoured to describe all that appeared
to me most important and interesting among the events and the scenes
that came under my notice during my sojourn in the interior of Africa.
If my account should not entirely harmonise with preconceived notions
as to primitive races, I cannot help it. I profess accurately to describe
native Africa--Africa in those places where it has not received the
slightest impulse, whether for good or evil, from European civilisation.
If the picture be a dark one, we should, when contemplating these sons
of Noah, try and carry our mind back to that time when our poor elder
brother Ham was cursed by his father, and condemned to be the slave
of both Shem and Japheth; for as they were then, so they appear to be
now-- a strikingly existing proof of the Holy Scriptures. But one thing
must be remembered: Whilst the people of Europe and Asia were

blessed by communion with God through the medium of His prophets,
and obtained divine laws to regulate their ways and keep them in mind
of Him who made them, the Africans were excluded from this
dispensation, and consequently have no idea of an overruling
Providence or a future state; they therefore trust to luck and to charms,
and think only of self- preservation in this world. Whatever, then, may
be said against them for being too avaricious or too destitute of
fellow-feeling, should rather reflect on ourselves, who have been so
much better favoured, yet have neglected to teach them, than on those
who, whilst they are sinning, know not what they are doing. To say a
negro is incapable of instruction, is a mere absurdity; for those few
boys who have been educated in our schools have proved themselves
even quicker than our own at learning; whilst, amongst themselves, the
deepness of their cunning and their power of repartee are quite
surprising, and are especially shown in their proficiency for telling lies
most appropriately in preference to truth, and with an off-handed
manner that makes them most amusing.
With these remarks, I now give, as an appropriate introduction to my
narrative--(1.) An account of the general geographical features of the
countries we are about to travel in, leaving the details to be treated
under each as we successively pass through them; (2.) A general view
of the atmospheric agents which wear down and so continually help to
reduce the continent, yet at the same time assist to clothe it with
vegetation; (3.) A general view of the Flora;