104 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFETCA, 
and his family^ to do everything in my power to support him_, and 
not to desert him_, weighed heavily upon me ; and in duty to my- 
self^ and what I considered the spirit rather than the letter of my 
instructions^ I set to work to fit out another expedition of four 
boats. Although the expense that it would entail would be a 
serious item^ I trusted to trade and the spirit of the Society at 
home to hold me finally harmless. In order to raise the means to 
meet this expense^ I disposed of ivory and European goods at any 
price; and in the early part of March, 1862, I succeeded in pro- 
curing sufficient for the purpose. How could I have acted other- 
wise ? What would have been thought of me in England, had I, 
instead of proceeding on my own responsibility, written to ask for 
more money ? 
Several letters from Khartoum, addressed to Sir Koderick Mur- 
chison and Dr. Shaw, conveyed the purport of the foregoing to the 
Council of the Society — the last of which, dated, I believe, in March, 
1862, contained the following paragraphs : 
“ Mt dear Shaw, 
‘‘ If the spirit of geographers at home is to be measured 
by my own, you will have a large balance in my favour. 
“ My expedition now numbers seven boats, and to be indepen- 
dent of the negroes for transport, I take with me thirty donkeys 
and three horses for own riding. The greatly troubled state of 
the interior calls for this formerly unanticipated addition to the 
requirements of the expedition, therefore you will perceive, as far 
as I am concerned, expense will be no object.” 
Lest my expedition should be considered unnecessarily large, 
let us see what is said upon the subject of explorations from 
Gondokoro southwards in an article entitled the Sources of the 
