This text results from the merging of two simultaneous submissions at
Project Gutenberg; the first, from images generously made available bythe Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) athttp://gallica.bnf.fr, and processed by David Kline, Carlo Traverso,Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team; thesecond, scanned by JC Byers(www.wollamshram.ca/1001) and proofread byMaryann Short.
What Led To The Discovery
of the
Source Of The Nile
by
John Hanning Speke
Captain H.M. Indian Army
Author of 'Journal of the Discovery of the
Source of the Nile'
William Blackwood and Sons
Edinburgh and London
MDCCCLXIV
To
The Memory of
Lieutenant-General Sir Jas. Outram, Bart.
G.C.B.
Who First Gave Me A Start In Africa,
This History
Is Respectfully Inscribed.
Advertisement.
In offering this short connected history of my first two explorationsin Africa, I must state that I have been urged to do so by friendsdesirous of knowing what led to the discovery of the source of theNile. The greater part of it was originally published in 'Blackwood'sMagazine;' but that lacked the connection which I have now given tothe conclusion of my independent journey to and from the VictoriaN'yanza, which is the great source or reservoir of the Nile. Themanner in which I traced the Nile down from the Victoria N'yanza toEgypt is explained in my 'Journal of the Discovery of the Source ofthe Nile.'
J. H. Speke.
Contents.
Journal of Adventures in Somali Land.
Introduction to the Journal.—Projects and hobbies—Life inIndia—Lord Clyde and Sir James Outram—The position and physicalgeography of the Somali country—The Nogal country, and historicalsketches—Costume and Customs.
The voyage—An Akil—The Somali shore—Sultan (Gerad) MahamedAli—Hidden treasure—The Warsingali—A royal reception—Somaliappetites—Difficulties and impediments—Sultan tries my Abban orprotector.
Yafir Pass—Rhut Tug (River)—The ruins at Kin's city—Abbanapprehends future consequences—Hyenas—The Dulbahantas—Cameldrivers' tricks—Briny water—Antelope-shoooting—Elephant-hunting—Ostrich-hunting—Gazelles—Jealousy and suspicions of thepeople—Rapid decline of property.
Meditations among the tombs—A fracas—The return march—Thenorth-east monsoon—Relief from persecution—Interesting animals—Goriagain—Shooting a woman—Arrival at Aden—Freshprojects—Arrangements.
Aden—Departure—Kurrum—A conclave of sages—Arrangement of theexpedition—The south-west monsoon—Medical practice—The campbesieged—Wounded and captive—A triumphal procession—Flight Returnto Aden and to England—Fresh projects there.
...