Unable to delay longer in his exploration of the southern shores of the Victoria Nyanza, as he had promised to rejoin Burton by a certain date, Speke returned to Kaze in Unyanyembe, to find his companion vexed at the great discovery which he had made. Speke did not pursue the argument as to the Victoria Nyanza being the main source of the Nile. The two men journeyed together on more or less bad terms to Zanzibar, where Burton remained to wind up the affairs of the expedition, Speke returning direct to England. Here the wonderful news he brought prompted the Royal Geographical Society to gather together the funds for a fresh expedition, which was to enable Speke to make good his discovery of the lake, and to prove to the satisfaction of the scientific world that this sheet of water was the ultimate source of the White Nile. CHAPTER XII SPEKE AND THE NILE QUEST John Hanning Speke was born on May 27, 1827, at Orleigh Court, Bideford, North Devon. His father’s family had its seat in Somersetshire, near the pretty old town of Ilminster, and was of ancient descent. The name was spelled L’Espec in Norman times, and apparently meant a spike or porcupine quill (the family crest was a porcupine).[53] Speke’s mother was a Miss Hanning of Dillington Park, also in Somerset. He was one of four sons, and had several sisters. As his father (Mr. William Speke), after he came into the family place of Jordans near Ilminster, had two church livings to dispose of, he was desirous that two at least of his sons might be brought up to the Church. John Hanning and Edward Speke (who was killed at Delhi) declined such a career, however, and wished to go into the army. Speke was a restless boy, who detested school, declaring that a sedentary life made him ill. Whenever he could escape from his masters, he was always out in the woods and on the heaths, displaying a great devotion to natural history and sport. When only seventeen his mother, who was acquainted with the Duke of Wellington, obtained for her two sons, John and Edward, commissions in the Indian army. The Duke asked to see the boys, and congratulated their mother on two such fine young fellows coming forward for service in India. Edward Speke, as already mentioned, was killed during the Indian mutiny at the siege of Delhi. John Hanning Speke himself, between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two, had seen a good deal of military service in India, and took part in the last Sikh war, having been at the battles of Ramnagar, Sedulapur, Chilianwala, and Guzerat.