476 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



"Mr. Consul Petherick, a bale-looking, portly gentleman, with white 

 whiskers and beard, then gave his experience as an explorer, and claimed to 

 have been the first traveller who had attempted to estimate the volume of 

 water flowing from the various African rivers. 



" Dr. Beke then had his turn, and after regretting that he should have to 

 eat his own words, said that, taking Dr. Livingstone's facts as they stood, it 

 was impossible that his conclusions could be correct. 



" Mr. Oswell, an old fellow-traveller of Livingstone's, who was not down 

 on the programme, but was called on by the chair, spoke next from the body 

 of the hall, and paid warm testimony to the heroic qualities of Livingstone's 

 wife, who was one of the expedition in which the speaker took part. 



" Then Sir Henry Rawlinson rose at the chairman's right, and disclaimed 

 with some elaboration all feeling of jealousy on the part of the Geographical 

 Society, and then paid warm compliments to the honourable loyalty and 

 gallant courage with which Mr. Stanley had performed his onerous task. 



" Still Sir Henry could not assent to the proposition, as one beyond 

 cavil, that Livingstone had discovered the sources of the Nile ; and leant 

 rather to the opinion, that some great lake or swamp, or system of water sheds, 

 would be found to be the outfall into which Livingstone's river emptied itself. 



" Mr. Stanley had before this pointed out, at the request of the President, 

 on tbe large map of Africa, drawn by Mr. Keith Johnston, the alterations 

 which it will, in his judgment, require before it accords with the map shown 

 by Livingstone. This map was hung behind the platform, and was of a size 

 which enabled every one to follow the course of exploration as it was touched 

 upon by the various speakers. 



" Mr. Galton spoke, when summing up the proceedings from the chair, of 

 the ' somewhat impassioned appeal ' made by Mr. Stanley on behalf of Living- 

 stone's conclusions, and the phrase expresses accurately the character of the 

 traveller's reply. He spoke like a man who was a little indignant. 



" ' Dr. Beke,' Mr. Stanley said, ' living in London, and never having been 

 within two thousand miles of the spot, declares positively that Livingstone has 

 not discovered the sources of the Nile ; whereas Livingstone, who has devoted 

 thirty-five years to Africa, only says he thinks he has discovered,' was one of 

 the remarks which created a good deal of laughter and applause. So when 

 Mr. Stanley, lifting his arms aloft in amazed protest, exclaimed, ' and Sir Henry 

 Rawlinson thinks that a river of from one to three miles in breadth can lose 

 itself in a swamp,' and when he alluded to gentlemen ' sitting on their easy 

 chairs at home, and mapping out Central Africa to their own satisfaction, 

 and to never having known an Englishman discover anything yet, but some 

 learned German declared he'd been there first,' the laughter was long and 

 loud. 



" Altogether, the impression left by Mr. Stanley upon his hearers was in 



