80 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
leading members of the Royal Geographical Society^ that I should 
write a paper for their next meeting on January 9th, 1860; thus 
my intended return to Africa in the month of October or Novem- 
ber, 1859, became indefinitely postponed. In the meantime Cap- 
tain Speke and myself corresponded frequently, and from Rheola, 
in December, 1859, he writes : 
“Mt dear Petheeick, 
“ Were you ever thinking of looking after the Nile’s 
source yourself? I infer by your letter that you may have had 
it under consideration, and if so, it strikes me that my going up 
the Nile may possibly be injurious to your prospects. In that 
case I withhold from interference. But again, should it meet 
your views that we could manage by combined exertions, either 
in company or separately, to settle the question of the White 
River, I would readily work with you. If you think, as I do, 
the Nyanza is, in all probability, the true source, our object 
evidently should be to bear at once directly on it from any point 
on the river which is most convenient for breaking off from. It 
is obvious to me, from the great altitude of the lake, compared 
to Gondokoro, that the river must cease to be navigable after a 
certain distance above that station, and then the mode of pro- 
ceeding would be to form a strong party, by which we could 
push through the large tribes that may be to the south of Gondo- 
koro.” 
The following letter, which I give in full, will speak for itself: 
«‘JOKDANS,’ 
“ December 22nd, 1859. 
“My deae Petheeick, 
“ I have just received a letter from Sir E. Murchison, and 
