2 
PROGRAMME. 
[chap. I. 
ceed alone, trusting in the guidance of a Divine Pro¬ 
vidence and the good fortune that sometimes attends 
a tenacity of purpose. I weighed carefully the chances 
of the undertaking. Before me—untrodden Africa; 
against me—the obstacles that had defeated the world 
O 
since its creation ; on my side—a somewhat tough 
constitution, perfect independence, a long experience 
in savage life, and both time and means which I in¬ 
tended to devote to the object without limit. England 
had never sent an expedition to the Nile sources pre¬ 
vious to that under the command of Speke and Grant. 
Bruce, ninety years ago, had succeeded in tracing the 
source of the Blue or Lesser Nile : thus the honour of 
that discovery belonged to Great Britain; Speke was 
on his road from the South; and I felt confident that 
my gallant friend would leave his bones upon the 
path rather than submit to failure. I trusted that 
England would not be beaten; and although I hardly 
dared to hope that I could succeed where others 
greater than I had failed, I determined to sacrifice all 
in the attempt. Had I been alone it would have been 
no hard lot to die upon the untrodden path before me, 
but there was one who, although my greatest comfort, 
was also my greatest care; one whose life yet dawned 
at so early an age that womanhood was still a future. 
I shuddered at the prospect for her, should she be left 
alone in savage lands at my death; and glad]y would 
I have left her in the luxuries of home instead of 
exposing her to the miseries of Africa. It was in vain 
that I implored her to remain, and that I painted the 
difficulties and perils still blacker than I supposed they 
really would be : she was resolved, with woman s con¬ 
stancy and devotion, to share all dangers and to follow 
me through each rough footstep of the wild life before 
me. And Ruth said, “ Entreat me not to leave thee, 
or to return from following after thee : for whither 
thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will 
lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God 
my God: where thou diest will I die, and there will 
nei 
