100 GLADNESS AT MEETING THEM. [chap. ii. 
from which the Nile springs. . . . The mystery of 
ages solved. With my pleasure of meeting them is 
the one disappointment, that I had not met them 
farther on the road in my search for them; however, 
the satisfaction is, that my previous arrangements had 
been such as would have insured my finding them had 
they, been in a fix. . . . My projected route would have 
brought me vis-a-vis with them, as they had come 
from the lake by the course I had proposed to take. . . . 
All my men perfectly mad with excitement, firing 
salutes as usual with ball cartridge, they shot one of 
my donkeys; a melancholy sacrifice as an offering at 
the completion of this geographical discovery.” 
When I first met them they were walking along the 
bank of the river towards my boats. At a distance of 
about a hundred yards I recognised my old friend 
Speke, and with a heart beating with joy I took off 
my cap and gave a welcome hurrah ! as I ran towards 
him. For the moment he did not recognise me ; ten 
years’ growth of beard and moustache had worked a 
change; and as I was totally unexpected, my sudden 
appearance in the centre of Africa, appeared to him 
incredible. I hardly required an introduction to his 
companion, as we felt already acquainted, and after the 
transports of this happy meeting we walked together 
to my dialibiah ; my men surrounding us with smoke 
