CAMERON RECEIVES THE ROYAL SOCIETY'S MEDAL. 681 



versary dinner of the Royal Literary Fund. In the course of the evening, 

 Sir Henry Rawlinson proposed the " Travellers," and briefly recapitulated 

 the results of Lieutenant Cameron's African Expedition. Cameron, who was 

 much cheered, returned thanks, dwelling on some of the more remarkable 

 incidents of his travels, and expressing confident hopes as to the future of 

 Africa. Two days afterwards, there was a large and enthusiastic gathering 

 of the principal inhabitants of the district of Shoreham — the district of his 

 home — for the purpose of presenting to him a valuable silver inkstand and a 

 sword. Returning thanks for the presentation, the gallant officer remarked 

 that the sword, which they had done him the honour to give him, should 

 never be drawn without cause, or sheathed without honour. He then read 

 a short sketch of the resources of Africa, which country, he said, was the 

 richest in the world, with no one to develope its riches. 



The anniversary meeting of the Royal Geographical Society was held 

 on May 22nd, 1876, at Burlington House, for the purpose of transacting the 

 business of the Society, and to award the medals. The chair was taken by 

 Major-General Sir Henry Rawlinson, K.C.B., who, in presenting the founder's 

 medal for the year 1876 to Lieutenant V. L. Cameron, R.N., for his journey 

 across Africa from Zanzibar to Benguela, and his survey of the southern half 

 of Lake Tanganyika, said—" I have been requested by my colleagues of the 

 Geographical Council to present you with 'the founder's medal of this year for 

 the encouragement of geographical science and discovery, which has been 

 awarded to you for your journey across Africa from Zanzibar to Benguela, 

 and for your survey of the southern half of Lake Tanganyika ;' and I fulfil 

 this duty with all the more pleasure and satisfaction that I was in the chair 

 when we sent you forth on your honourable and important mission, and have 

 thus had the opportunity of watching your progress, step by step, through 

 the many trials and triumphs of your memorable journey. As Englishmen, 

 we are proud that the great feat of traversing Equatorial Africa, from sea to 

 sea, should have been accomplished for the first time by an officer in the Naval 

 service of the Queen; but we wish it to be understood that it is not your suc- 

 cess in this particular exploit, it is not your remarkable exhibition of manly 

 courage and perseverance — though these qualities, which you possess in an 

 eminent degree, will always secure you the well-merited admiration of your 

 countrymen — which have on this occasion exclusively, or even in an espe- 

 cial degree, recommended you to the favourable notice of the Council. 



" We have selected you to be our medallist, above all other reasons, because 

 you have, amidst difficulties and dangers, in failing health, under privation 

 and fatigue, steadily kept in view the paramount claim on your attention of 

 scientific geography, and have thus brought back with you from the interior 

 of Africa a register of observations for latitude, longitude, and elevation, 

 which, for extent and variety — and we are authorised by the report of the 



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