CHAP. TI.] 
THEIR APPEARANCE. 
101 
and noise by keeping up an unremitting fire of musketry 
the whole way. We were shortly seated on deck under 
the awning, and such rough fare as could be hastily 
prepared was set before these two ragged, careworn 
specimens of African travel, whom I looked upon with 
feelings of pride as my own countrymen. As a good 
ship arrives in harbour, battered and torn by a long 
and stormy voyage, yet sound in her frame and sea¬ 
worthy to the last, so both these gallant travellers 
arrived in Gondokoro. Speke appeared the more worn 
of the two ; he was excessively lean, but in reality he 
was in good tough condition ; he had walked the whole 
way from Zanzibar, never having once ridden during 
that wearying march. Grant was in honourable rags > 
his bare knees projecting through the remnants of 
browsers that were an exhibition of rough industry in 
tailors work. He was looking tired and feverish, but 
both men had a fire in the eye that showed the spirit 
that had led them through. 
They wished to leave Gondokoro as soon as possible, 
en route for England, but delayed their departure until 
the moon should be in a position for an observation 
for determining the longitude. My boats were fortu¬ 
nately engaged by me for five months, thus Speke 
and Grant could take charge of them to Khartoum. 
At the first blush on meeting them I had considered 
