What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile | Page 8

turning thence westwards, was to inspect the
Wadi Nogal, and march direct on Berbera, to meet Stroyan and Herne,
at a date not later than the 15th January 1855. Whilst travelling I was to
remark upon the watershed of the country, plot the route I travelled,
keep copious notes on everything I saw, and collect specimens of
natural history in all its branches, as well as observe and register all
meteorological phenomena, and buy camels and ponies for the great
future expedition.
Funds for the expenses of this undertaking were not available at that
time from the public purse, as the Indian Government had stipulated
that the whole sum they would advance for this great expedition should
not exceed £1000, and, for security's sake, had decided on paying it by
instalments of £250 at a time. I therefore, desirous to render as much
assistance as lay within my power to further the cause I had embarked
upon, volunteered to advance the necessary sum from my own private
resources, trusting to Lieutenant Burton's promises in the future for
being repaid.
This project settled, I at once set to work, and commenced laying in
such stores as were necessary for an outfit, whilst Lieutenant Burton,
who had been long resident in Aden, engaged two men to assist me on
the journey. The first was a man named Sumunter, who ranked highly
in his country, who was to be my Abban or protector. The duty of
abbanship is of the greatest importance, for it rests entirely on the
Abban's honesty whether his client can succeed in doing anything in
the country he takes him through. Arabs, when travelling under their
protection, have to ask his permission for anything they may wish to do,
and cannot even make a march, or purchase anything, without his
sanction being first obtained. The Abban introduces the person under
his protection to the chief of his clan, is answerable for all outrages
committed on the way, and is the recognised go-between in all
questions of dispute or barter, and in every other fashion. The second
man was also a Warsingali,[8] by name Ahmed, who knew a slight
smattering of Hindustani, and acted as interpreter between us. I then
engaged two other men, a Hindustani butler named Imam, and a Seedi
called Farhan. This latter man was a perfect Hercules in stature, with

huge arms and limbs, knit together with largely developed ropy-looking
muscles. He had a large head, with small eyes, flabby squat nose, and
prominent muzzle filled with sharp-pointed teeth, as if in imitation of a
crocodile. Farhan told me that when very young he was kidnapped on
the Zanzibar coast by the captain of a small Arab vessel. This captain
one day seeing him engaged with many other little children playing on
the sandy seashore, offered him a handful of fine fruity-looking dates,
which proved so tempting to his juvenile taste that he could not resist
the proffered bait, and he made a grab at them. The captain's powerful
fingers then fell like a mighty trap on his little closed hand, and he was
hurried off to the vessel, where he was employed in the capacity of
"powder-monkey." In this position he remained serving until full grown,
when, finding an opportunity, he ran away from his master, and has
ever since lived the life of a "free-man."
As a soldier, he had been tried in warfare, and was proved valorous and
cunning in the art, and promised to be a very efficient guard for me.
The next thing of most importance to be considered was the dress I
should wear. I first consulted the Colonel (Outram), who said he was
averse to our going in disguise, thinking that lowering ourselves in this
manner would operate against me in the estimation of the natives. But
this did not suit Lieutenant Burton's plans, who, not wishing to be
conspicuous whilst travelling to Harar, determined on going there
disguised as an Arab merchant, and thought it better we should appear
as his disciples, in accordance with which Herne had already purchased
his dress, and now I bought mine. It was anything but pleasant to the
feel. I had a huge hot turban, a long close-fitting gown, baggy loose
drawers, drawn in at the ankles, sandals on my naked feet, and a silk
girdle decorated with pistol and dirk. As an outfit for this especial
journey, I bought at Aden £120 worth of miscellaneous articles,
consisting chiefly of English and American sheeting, some coarse
fabrics of indigo-dyed Indian manufacture, several sacks of dates and
rice, and a large quantity of salt, with a few coloured stuffs of greater
value than the other cloths, to give away as presents to the native chiefs.
As defensible and other useful implements for the scientific