Of course, and without the least shade of doubt, I was firmly convinced that the Congo River route was infinitely the best and safest, provided that I should get my flotilla of whale-boats, and the permission of King Leopold to pass through his territory with an armed force. I knew a route from the East Coast, and was equally acquainted with that from the West Coast. From the furthest point reached by me in 1876, along the East Coast road, the distance was but 100 miles to Lake Albert--from Yambuya Rapids the distance was 322 geographical miles in an air line to the lake. Yet to the best of my judgment the Congo route was preferable. We should have abundance of water--which was so scanty and bad along the Eastern route; food there must be--it was natural to expect it from my knowledge that unsurpassed fertility such as the Upper Congo regions possesses would have been long ago discovered by the aborigines, whereas we knew from Thomson, Fischer, and Hannington's experiences that food and water was scanty in Masai Land; then again, that wholesale desertion so frequent on the East Coast would be avoided on the West Coast. Yet notwithstanding they admitted that I might be right, it was the opinion of the Committee that it would be best to adopt the Eastern route. "Very good, it is perfectly immaterial to me. Let us decide on the East Coast route, _viâ_ Msalala, Karagwé, Ankori, and Unyoro. If you hear of some hard-fighting, I look to you that you will defend the absent. If I could drop this ammunition in Emin's camp from a balloon I certainly would do so, and avoid coming in contact with those warlike natives, but it is decided that the means of defence must be put into Emin's hands, and you have entrusted me with the escort of it. So be it." A Relief Fund was raised, the subscriptions to which were as follows:-- £ Sir William Mackinnon, Bart. 2,000 Peter Mackinnon, Esq. 1,000 John Mackinnon, Esq. 300 Baroness Burdett-Coutts 100 W. Burdett-Coutts, Esq. 400 James S. Jameson, Esq. 1,000 Countess de Noailles 1,000 Peter Denny, Esq., of Dumbarton 1,000 Henry Johnson Younger, Esq., of the Scottish Geographical Society 500 Alexander L. Bruce, Esq., of the Scottish Geographical Society 500 Messrs. Gray, Dawes & Co., of London 1,000 Duncan Mac Neil, Esq. 700 James F. Hutton, Esq., of Manchester 250 Sir Thos. Fowell Buxton 250 James Hall, Esq., of Argyleshire 250 N. McMichael, Esq., of Glasgow 250 Royal Geographical Society, London 1,000 Egyptian Government 10,000 ------ £21,500[D]