Condensed By E.J.W From "The Nile Tributaries Of Abyssinia"
And "The Albert N'yanza Great Basin Of The Nile."
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
The Nubian desert - The bitter well - Change of plans - An
irascible dragoman - Pools of the Atbara - One secret of the
Nile - At Cassala
CHAPTER II.
Egypt's rule of the Soudan - Corn-grinding in the Soudan - Mahomet meets
relatives - The parent of Egypt - El Baggar rides the camel
CHAPTER III.
The Arabs' exodus - Reception by Abou Sinn - Arabs dressing the hair - Toilet of an
Arab woman - The plague of lice - Wives among the Arabs - The Old Testament
confirmed
CHAPTER IV.
On the Abyssinian border - A new school of medicine - Sacred
shrines and epidemics
CHAPTER V.
A primitive craft - Stalking the giraffes - My first giraffes-Rare
sport with the finny tribe - Thieving elephants
CHAPTER VI.
Preparations for advance - Mek Nimmur makes a foray - The
Hamran elephant-hunters - In the haunts of the elephant -
A desperate charge
CHAPTER VII.
The start from Geera - Feats of horsemanship - A curious chase -
Abou Do wins a race - Capturing a young buffalo - Our
island camp - Tales of the Base
CHAPTER VIII.
The elephant trumpets - Fighting an elephant with swords -
The forehead-shot - Elephants in a panic - A superb old
Neptune - The harpoon reaches its aim - Death of the
hippopotamus - Tramped by an elephant
CHAPTER IX.
Fright of the Tokrooris - Deserters who didn't desert - Arrival
of the Sherrif brothers - Now for a tally-ho! - On the heels
of the rhinoceroses - The Abyssinian rhinoceros - Every
man for himself
CHAPTER X.
A day with the howartis - A hippo's gallant fight - Abou Do leaves
us - Three yards from a lion - Days of delight - A lion's furious
rage - Astounding courage of a horse
CHAPTER XI.
The bull-elephant - Daring Hamrans - The elephant helpless - Visited
by a minstrel - A determined musician - The nest of the outlaws -
The Atbara River
CHAPTER XII.
Abyssinian slave-girls - Khartoum - The Soudan under Egyptian rule -
Slave-trade in the Soudan - The obstacles ahead
CHAPTER XIII.
Gondokoro - A mutiny quelled - Arrival of Speke and Grant - The sources
of the Nile-Arab duplicity - The boy-slave's story - Saat adopted
CHAPTER XIV.
Startling disclosures - The last hope seems gone - The Bari chief's
advice - Hoping for the best - Ho for Central Africa!
CHAPTER XV.
A start made at last - A forced march - Lightening the ship - Waiting for
the caravan - Success hangs in the balance - The greatest rascal in
Central Africa - Legge demands another bottle
CHAPTER XVI.
The greeting of the slave-traders - Collapse of the mutiny - African
funerals-Visit from the Latooka chief - Bokke makes a suggestion -
Slaughter of the Turks - Success as a prophet - Commoro's philosophy
CHAPTER XVII.
Disease in the camp - Forward under difficulties - Our cup of misery
overflows - A rain-maker in a dilemma-Fever again - Ibrahim's quandary-Firing the
prairie
CHAPTER XVIII.
Greeting from Kamrasi's people - Suffering from the sins of others-Alone among
savages - The free-masonry of Unyoro. - Pottery and civilization
CHAPTER XIX.
Kamrasi's cowardice - Interview with the king - The exchange of blood -
The rod beggar's last chance - An astounded sovereign
CHAPTER XX.
A satanic escort - Prostrated by sun-stroke - Days and nights of
sorrow - The reward for all our labor
CHAPTER XXI.
The cradle of the Nile - Arrival at Magungo - The blind leading
the blind - Murchison Falls
CHAPTER XXII.
Prisoners on the island - Left to starve - Months of helpless-
ness - We rejoin the Turks - The real Kamrasi - In the presence of royalty
CHAPTER XXIII.
The hour of deliverance - Triumphal entry into Gondokoro -
Homeward bound - The plague breaks out - Our welcome at
Khartoum - Return to civilization
IN THE HEART OF AFRICA.
CHAPTER I.
The Nubian desert - The bitter well - Change of plans - An irascible
dragoman - Pools of the Atbara - One secret of the Nile - At Cassala.
In March, 1861, I commenced an expedition to discover the sources of the
Nile, with the hope of meeting the East African expedition of Captains
Speke and Grant, that had been sent by the English Government from the
South via Zanzibar, for the same object. I had not the presumption to
publish my intention, as the sources of the Nile had hitherto defied all
explorers, but I had inwardly determined to accomplish this difficult
task or to die in the attempt. From my youth I had been inured to
hardships and endurance in wild sports in tropical climates, and when I
gazed upon the map of Africa I had a wild hope, mingled with humility,
that, even as the insignificant worm bores through the hardest oak, I
might by perseverance reach the heart of Africa.
I could not conceive that anything in this world has power to resist a
determined will, so long as health and life remain. The failure of every
former attempt to reach the Nile source did not astonish me, as the
expeditions had consisted of parties, which, when difficulties occur,
generally end in difference of opinion and in retreat; I therefore
determined to proceed alone, trusting in the guidance of a Divine
Providence and the good fortune that sometimes attends a tenacity of
purpose. I weighed carefully the chances of the undertaking. Before me,
untrodden Africa; against me, the obstacles that had defeated the world
since its creation; on my side, a somewhat tough constitution, perfect
independence, a long experience in savage life, and both time and means,
which I intended to devote to the object without limit.
England had never sent an expedition to the Nile sources previous to
that under the command of Speke and Grant. Bruce, ninety years before,
had succeeded in tracing the source of the Blue or Lesser Nile; thus the
honor of that discovery belonged to Great Britain. Speke was on his road
from the South, and I felt confident that my gallant friend would leave
his bones upon the path rather than submit to failure. I trusted that
England would not be beaten, and although I hardly dared to hope that I
could succeed where others greater than I had failed, I determined to
sacrifice all in the attempt.
