60 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



suitably equiped, attemped to cross the country. Since that 

 time African exploration parties have been very numerous, nearly 

 every nation on the globe contributing adventurous spirits to 

 battle with the wild animals and wilder jungles which charac- 

 terize its interior, in pursuit of a curiosity which every person 

 possesses more or less. 



In this volume I shall confine myself to the results and more 

 exciting incidents, discoveries and adventures of the great modern 

 explorers of Africa, giving prominence to those whose achieve- 

 ments entitle them to public recognition. 



CAPT. J. H. SPEKE'S TRAVELS. 



THE first to be considered is Capt. J. H. Speke, of the Eng 

 lish army, as he was the first to claim the discovery of th* 

 source of the Nile, although subsequent explorations have shown 

 that he discovered only one of the principal lakes or reservoirs 

 that feed that wonderful river. 



Capt. Speke made three expeditions into the heart of Africa, 

 first as the companion of the celebrated traveler, Richard Francia 

 Burton, during which they discovered lake Tanganika. On his 

 second expedition, which he undertook alone, Speke discovered 

 Victoria Lake, one of the principal reservoirs from which the Nile 

 is fed , and which for some years was supposed to be the real source 

 of this mysterious river. His third expedition was undertaken in 

 1860, in company with Capt. J. W. Grant, also an officer in the 

 British army, and who had previously made extensive explora- 

 tions in Australia. As this third expedition contains the most 

 important results of Capt. Speke's discoveries, we shall confine 

 ourselves principally to it. 



The explorers were aided in this expedition by a contribution 

 of $12,000 from the Royal Geographical Society of England, and 



