APPENDIX A. 
169 
tlieir full consideration, have instructed me to transmit to you 
the following statement as their reply to the said letter. 
“ (Signed) H. W. BATES, 
“ Assistant Secretary to the Royal Geographical Society, 
“ J. Pethekick, Esq.” 
MINUTE OF. COUNCIL. 
“ In June, 1860, Mr. Consul Petherick, then about to revisit 
the White Nile for the purpose of trade, suggested that his 
expedition might render important service to Captains Speke and 
Grrant, if the Boyal Greographical Society were pleased to avail 
themselves of the opportunity. He represented that Grondokoro 
was deserted by traders, and even by natives, for part of the 
time between November and June, and that Captain Speke’s 
party would risk starvation if they arrived during that interval. 
After that, the only practicable route to Khartoum lay by river, 
and the boats were not to be procured at Giondokoro except by 
a chance from the ivory traders. Lastly, that Captains Speke 
and Grrant would find themselves in serious difficulties if unsup- 
ported by persons who were familiar with the language and 
customs of the northern tribes. The good-will of many Fellows 
of the Society, as evinced by voluntary subscriptions, to which 
the Council contributed £100 on the part of the Society, finally 
took the shape of an agreement (see Appendix) between the 
Boyal Greographical Society and Mr. Petherick. A sum of £1,000 
was placed in his hands, and he engaged, on his part, to station 
as a depot two well armed, provisioned boats at Grondokoro, in 
November, 1861, with a supply of provisions sufficient for his 
own and Captain Speke’s party until July, 1862, ‘the mainte- 
nance of these until June, 1862, at Grondokoro, being of primary 
