204 MEMORIES OF MY LIFE 



by the side of the broad gravel walk leading north- 

 wards from the Albert Memorial. There was much 

 difficulty in selecting an inscription which should not 

 arouse criticism, for there were still those who main- 

 tained with Burton that Speke had not discovered 

 the true source of the Nile. Lord Houghton solved 

 the difficulty by simplifying the proposed legend to 

 "Victoria Nyanza and the Nile," which words the 

 obelisk now bears. 



Speke, Burton, Grant, Baker, Livingstone, and 

 Stanley are all gone ; I wish it could be arranged to 

 make a joint and interesting memorial of our great 

 African explorers in the plot where Speke's obelisk 

 now stands in neglected solitariness. It would not 

 require more than two or three extra yards on either 

 side, parallel to the Grand Walk, and the same in 

 depth, to give room for this, and to allow of the 

 growth of a few hardy plants suggestive of tropical 

 vegetation, with pathways between them. England 

 has done so very much for African geography that 

 she ought to bring the fact home to the national 

 conscience. When Burton died, and again when 

 Stanley died, I made the suggestion that a memorial 

 should be erected by the side of that of Speke, or 

 that appropriate inscriptions should be added, but 

 I heard on good authority that it would be most 

 distasteful to the representatives of both Speke and 

 Grant to do so. Many long years have since passed, 

 and it may be hoped that hard feelings will soften in 

 time and permit what many like myself would con- 

 sider a laudable and pious act. 



I have mentioned the names of Livingstone and 

 Stanley, and here again I have something to say. 



