2 PREPARATIONS IN ZANZIBAR AND ON THE COAST 



wonder ! For mighty is ever the fascination exercised by the 

 unknown, and, to the enthusiastic spirit, no charm can excel 

 that of devoting every power to a noble aim. 



Imbued with a similar passion for research, Count Samuel 

 Teleki von Szek, a nobleman with an estate in Transylvania, 

 undertook to lead yet another expedition into the interior 

 of Africa. With ample means of his own, and inured to hard- 

 ship in many a sporting trip, Count Teleki was admirably 

 fitted to carry out to a successful issue an undertaking of this 

 kind; and early in 1886, when he was beginning his prepara- 

 tions, he received an invitation to Lacroma from the Crown 

 Prince, Archduke Eudolf, who took the greatest interest in 

 the proposed expedition. 



Luckily for me, I happened just then to be off the island 

 of Lacroma on His Majesty's yacht ' Greif,' which had been 

 placed at the disposal of Prince Eudolf. I had long eagerly 

 desired to devote my humble powers to the exploration of 

 Africa, and I lost not a moment in urging Count Teleki to 

 allow me to join him. Thanks, probably, to powerful influence, 

 my petition was granted, and the very next day I heard that 

 I was to go. 



In a few brief interviews the Count and I worked out a 

 rough scheme of exploration, the chief aim of which was to 

 penetrate to the interior of Africa from the east coast. The 

 discussion of minor details as to equipment, provisions, &c, 

 for a journey of several years through uncivilised districts 

 necessarily occupied a much longer time. Count Teleki went 

 off to England and France to make his own preparations, 

 whilst I remained in Austria to carry out that part of the task 

 assigned to me. We were to meet again at Zanzibar at the 

 end of October ; but it so happened that the Count was delayed, 

 and I had a whole month to wait before he joined me. 



On October 5, 1886, I was ready to start, and I left Europe 



