The Albert N'Yanza, Great Basin of the Nile, And Explorations of the Nile SourcesBaker, Samuel White, Sir
History
The Albert N'Yanza, Great Basin of the Nile, And Explorations of the Nile Sources
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Albert, Lake (Congo and Uganda); Nile River; Sudan
"Clothes of all kinds are in great demand here, and would be accepted to
any amount in exchange for ivory. Beads are extremely valuable, and
would purchase ivory in large quantities, but the country would, in a
few years, become overstocked. Clothes being perishable articles would
always be in demand to supply those worn out; but beads, being
imperishable, very soon glut the market. Here is, as I had always
anticipated, an opportunity for commencing legitimate trade."
"JAN. 31st.--Throngs of natives arrived to carry our luggage GRATIS by
the king's orders. Started at 7 A.M. and marched ten miles and a half
parallel with the Nile, south; the country thickly populated, and much
cultivated with sesame, sweet potatoes, beans, tullaboon, dhurra, Indian
corn, and plantains.
"The native porters relieved each other at every village, fresh men
being always in readiness on the road. The river is here on a level with
the country, having no high banks; thus there is a great fall from
Karuma towards the west. Halted in a grove of plantains near a village.
The plantains of this country are much higher than those of Ceylon, and
the stems are black, rising to 25 or 30 feet. The chief of the district
came to meet us, and insisted upon our remaining at his village today
and tomorrow to 'eat and drink,' or Kamrasi would kill him; thus we are
delayed when time is precious. The chief's name is 'Matta-Goomi.' There
is now no secret about the lake. Both he and all the natives say that
the Luta N'zige lake is larger than the Victoria N'yanza, and that both
lakes are fed by rivers from the great mountain Bartooma. Is that
mountain the M'fumbiro of Speke? the difference of name being local.
According to the position of the mountain pointed out by the chief, it
bears from this spot S. 45 degrees W. Latitude of this place by meridian
altitude of Capella, 2 degrees 5 minutes 32 seconds.
"F. (my wife) taken seriously ill with bilious fever."
"FEB. 1st.--F. dreadfully ill; all the natives have turned out of their
villages, leaving their huts and gardens at our disposal. This is the
custom of the country should the king give orders that a visitor is to
be conducted through his dominions.
"The natives of Unyoro have a very superior implement to the molote used
among the northern tribes; it is an extremely powerful hoe, fitted upon
a handle, similar to those used on the sugar estates in the West Indies,
but the blade is heart-shaped: with these they cultivate the ground very
deep for their beds of sweet potatoes. The temperature during the day
ranges from 80 degrees to 84 degrees, and at night it is cold, 56
degrees to 58 degrees Fahr. It is very unhealthy, owing to the proximity
of the river."
"FEB. 2d.--Marched five miles. F. carried in a litter, very ill. I fell
ill likewise. Halted."
"FEB. 3d.--F. very ill. Carried her four miles and halted."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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