The Discovery of the Source of the NileSpeke, John Hanning
History
The Discovery of the Source of the Nile
Speke, John Hanning
Africa, East -- Description and travel; Nile River; Nile River Valley -- Discovery and exploration; Uganda -- Description and travel
Starting on a march with a large mixed caravan, consisting of 1 corporal
and 9 privates, Hottentots--1 jemadar and 25 privates, Beluchs--1 Arab
Cafila Bashi and 75 freed slaves--1 Kirangozi, or leader, and 100 negro
porters--12 mules untrained, 3 donkeys, and 22 goats--one could hardly
expect to find everybody in his place at the proper time for breaking
ground; but, at the same time, it could hardly be expected that ten men,
who had actually received their bounty-money, and had sworn fidelity,
should give one the slip the very first day. Such, however, was the
case. Ten out of the thirty-six given by the Sultan ran away, because
they feared that the white men, whom they believed to be cannibals, were
only taking them into the interior to eat them; and one pagazi, more
honest than the freed men, deposited his pay upon the ground, and ran
away too. Go we must, however; for one desertion is sure to lead to
more; and go we did. Our procession was in this fashion: The Kirangozi,
with a load on his shoulder, led the way, flag in hand, followed by the
pagazis carrying spears of bows and arrows in their hands, and bearing
their share of the baggage in the shape either of bolster-shaped loads
of cloth and beads covered with matting, each tied into the fork of a
three-pronged stick, or else coils of brass or copper wire tied in even
weights to each end of sticks which they laid on the shoulder; then
helter-skelter came the Wanguana, carrying carbines in their hands, and
boxes, bundles, tents, cooking-pots--all the miscellaneous property--on
their heads; next the Hottentots, dragging the refractory mules laden
with ammunition-boxes, but very lightly, to save the animals for the
future; and, finally, Sheikh Said and the Beluch escort; while the
goats, sick women, and stragglers, brought up the rear. From first to
last, some of the sick Hottentots rode the hospital donkeys, allowing
the negroes to tug their animals; for the smallest ailment threw them
broadcast on their backs. In a little while we cleared from the rich
gardens, mango clumps, and cocoa-but trees, which characterise the
fertile coast-line. After traversing fields of grass well clothed with
green trees, we arrived at the little settlement of Bomani, where camp
was formed, and everybody fairly appointed to his place. The process of
camp-forming would be thus: Sheikh Said, with Bombay under him, issues
cloths to the men for rations at the rate of one-fourth load a-day
(about 15 lb.) amongst 165; the Hottentots cook our dinners and their
own, or else lie rolling on the ground overcome with fatigue;
the Beluchs are supposed to guard the camp, but prefer gossip and
brightening their arms. Some men are told off to look after the mules,
donkeys, and goats, whilst out grazing; the rest have to pack the kit,
pitch our tents, cut boughs for huts, and for fencing in the camp--a
thing rarely done, by-the-by. After cooking, when the night has set
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
The Discovery of the Source of the Nile — John Shaqi
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