Vlll 



PREFACE. 



Modern " hinters to travellers " direct the explorer 

 and the missionary to eschew theory and opinion. We 

 are told somewhat peremptorily that it is our duty to 

 gather actualities not inferences — to see and not to think, 

 in fact, to confine ourselves to transmitting the rough 

 material collected by us, that it may be worked into 

 shape by the professionally learned at home. But why 

 may not the observer be allowed a voice concerning his 

 own observations, if at least his mind be sane and his 

 stock of collateral knowledge be respectable ? 



I have not attempted to avoid intruding matters of a 

 private and personal nature upon the reader ; it would 

 have been impossible to avoid egotism in a purely egotis- 

 tical narrative. The official matter, however, has been 

 banished into Appendix II. In publishing it, my desire 

 is to avoid the possibility of a charge being concealed 

 in the pigeon-holes of the India House, to be produced, 

 according to custom, with all the effect of a surprise 

 whenever its presence is convenient. I know the con- 

 ditions of appealing from those in office to a higher tri- 

 bunal — the Public. I well know them and 1 accept 

 them. Avant tout, gentilhomme ! 



I have spoken out my feelings concerning Captain 

 Speke, my companion in the Expedition which forms 

 the subject of these pages. The history of our com- 

 panionship is simply this : — As he had suffered with 

 me in purse and person at Berberah, in 1855, I 

 thought it but just to offer him the opportunity of re- 

 newing an attempt to penetrate into Africa. I had no 

 other reasons. I could not expect much from his assist- 

 ance ; he was not a linguist — French and Arabic 

 being equally unknown to him — nor a man of science, 



