FOUNDING THE PROTECTORATE 
109 
that the New Oriental Bank, in which were invested a good proportion of our 
funds, had failed. 1 Following close on this tale of disasters came Admiral 
Nicholson, fortunately accompanied by Mr. Sharpe, the news of whose 
untimely death had fairly taken all the heart out of me. Probably Admiral 
Nicholson has never known to this day why I received him with so much 
emotion. 
In May, 1892, Mr. John L. Nicoll had returned from leave of absence in 
England, and had entered the service of the British Central Africa Administra¬ 
tion. He was appointed collector for the South Nyasa district, to reside at 
MR. NICOI.I.’S HOUSE AT FORT JOHNSTON 
Fort Johnston. In nearly three years’ residence he effected a remarkable 
improvement in affairs on the Upper Shire and at the south end of the 
lake. Zarafi’s raids were checked, the river was policed and rendered safe, 
and Mponda was kept in order. In the summer of this same year two 
important expeditions arrived in the country. One was the dispatch from 
England of three gunboats in sections for Lake Nyasa and the Upper Shire. 
These boats had been obtained by the initiative of Lord Salisbury, when 
the news first arrived of the disasters on the lake, consequent on the death 
of Captain Cecil Maguire. The Admiralty undertook the charge of furnishing 
these gunboats, and they were sent out under the charge of Lieutenant 
(now Commander) Hope Robertson, R.N. 2 The other expedition was that 
1 The Bank subsequently paid us in full, though not for about a year afterwards. 
2 For his services in conveying these gunboats to Lake Nyasa, bringing about their rapid and success¬ 
ful construction, and afterwards commanding them on Lake Nyasa in various campaigns, Lieutenant 
Robertson was promoted, and was made a C. M.G. 
