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
This complicated matters more than ever. I knew Bombay to be a generous,
honest man, entitled by his former services to be in the position he was
now holding as fundi, or supervisor in the camp. Baraka, who never
would have joined the expedition excepting through his invitation, was
indebted to him for the rank he now enjoyed--a command over seventy men,
a duty in which he might have distinguished himself as a most useful
accessory to the camp. Again I called the two together, and begged them
to act in harmony like brothers, noticing that there was no cause for
entertaining jealousy on either side, as every order rested with myself
to reward for merit or to punish. The relative position in the camp was
like that of the senior officers in India, Bombay representing the
Mulki lord, or Governor-General, and Baraka the Jungi lord, or
Commander-in-Chief. To the influence of this distinguished comparison
they both gave way, acknowledging myself their judge, and both
protesting that they wished to serve in peace and quietness for the
benefit of the march.
Zungomero is a terminus or junction of two roads leading to the
interior--one, the northern, crossing over the Goma Pass, and trenching
on the Mukondokua river, and the other crossing over the Mabruki Pass,
and edging on the Ruaha river. They both unite again at Ugogi, the
western terminus on the present great Unyamuezi line. On the former
expedition I went by the northern line and returned by the southern,
finding both equally easy, and, indeed, neither is worthy of special and
permanent preference. In fact, every season makes a difference in the
supply of water and provisions; and with every year, owing to incessant
wars, or rather slave-hunts, the habitations of the wretched inhabitants
become constantly changed--generally speaking, for the worse. Our first
and last object, therefore, as might be supposed, from knowing these
circumstances, was to ascertain, before mounting the hill-range, which
route would afford us the best facilities for a speedy march now. No
one, however, could or would advise us. The whole country on ahead,
especially Ugogo, was oppressed by drought and famine. To avoid this
latter country, then, we selected the southern route, as by doing so it
was hoped we might follow the course of the Ruaha river from Maroro
to Usenga and Usanga, and thence strike across to Unyanyembe, sweeping
clear of Ugogo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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