The Sources of the Nile. 47 



could be without accurate observations. In other words, they 

 express vaguely the fact that the country is covered with 

 numerous lakes near the equator, and they do not allude to 

 mountains. But this was opposed to all prevalent notions, 

 and, as in other more familiar districts, great rivers originated 

 in lofty mountains, so in Africa, where the ancient geographers 

 had spoken of " Mountains of the Moon," it was concluded 

 that there must be a lofty central chain, and all the ideas of the 

 Nile were modified by this assumption. 



In the year 1768 Bruce proceeded to Egypt to trace the 

 Nile from its outlet to its source. It was then known that at a 

 certain part of its course there were two great feeders of the 

 river, one of which was called the Blue Nile, and this was 

 known to proceed from the Abyssinian mountains. The other, 

 the White Nile, was believed to be comparatively unimportant, 

 chiefly from the theoretical reasons alluded to, though partly 

 because its importance really seems to be masked near the 

 junction. When, therefore, Bruce in Abyssinia visited the 

 head waters of the Blue Nile, he thought he had solved the 

 problem of antiquity. 



It was soon found out, however, that the White Nile must 

 also be followed, and its history ascertained. Recognized at an 

 early period as an important branch, it ultimately became 

 evident that it was the real river, and, although obstacles to its 

 navigation existed, and there were great difficulties in ex- 

 ploring it, owing to the numerous savage tribes in that part of 

 Africa, it was a geographical necessity that the source of the 

 river must be sought for much nearer the equator than Bruce 

 had imagined. Exploring parties were organized, and great 

 efforts made by the Egyptian government between the years 

 1835 and 1841, the result being a doubtful and greatly ques- 

 tioned discovery, which may be considered, however confirmed, 

 at least in its chief points, by Captain Speke, that in latitude 

 3° 40' north, and at a distance of more than 3000 miles from 

 Alexandria, the river was still a wide stream, broken by a 

 series of cataracts, coming from a distance described as thirty 

 days' journey in the interior. The longitude, however, of this 

 furthest point of the expedition was not clearly determined, and 

 it may still be that some feeders coming in from the west may 

 help to drain the interior of the continent halfway between its 

 eastern and western shores. 



Among the discoveries of other explorers, partly con- 

 firmed by the subsequent researches, but still in some measure 

 doubtful, owing to the want of accurate observations of latitude 

 and longitude, may be mentioned the statement published by 

 Mr. Petherick, British Consul at Khartoum, who, in several 

 trading expeditions, and with much personal risk and trouble, 



