8 DESPATCHED TO EQUATORIAL AFRICA. 



of the active part which Vice-admiral Sir George 

 Back, the veteran explorer of the Arctic regions, 

 had taken in urging the expedition, and in pro- 

 posing me as its head. Had it heen otherwise, 

 this recognition of his kindness would not have 

 come so tardily. 



The Committee obtained from Lord Claren- 

 don, then H. M.'s Secretary of State for Foreign 

 Affairs, the sum of £1000, and it was under- 

 stood that the same amount would be advanced 

 by the then ruling Court of Directors. Unfor- 

 tunately it was found wanting. I received, how- 

 ever, on Sept. 13, 1856, formal permission, c in 

 compliance with the request of the Royal Geo- 

 graphical Society, to be absent from duty as a 

 regimental officer under the patronage of H. B. 

 Majesty's Government, to be despatched into 

 Equatorial Africa, for a period not exceeding two 

 years, calculated from the date of departure from 

 Bombay, upon the pay and allowances of my 

 rank.' So wrote the Merchant- Sultans. 



I was anxious again to take Lieut. John 

 Hanning Speke, because he had suffered with me 

 in purse and person at Berberah, and because 

 he, like the rest of the party, could obtain no 

 redress. Our misfortunes came directly from 

 Aden, indirectly from England. I had pro- 



