to whom
he gave valuable assistance, and who with his clue discovered the third
lake, Albert Nyanza.

Speke telegraphed early in 1863, that the Nile source was traced.
Returning to England that year he met with an ovation, and addressed a
special meeting of the Geographical Society, and the same year, 1863,
published his "Journal of the Discovery of the Nile." Opposed in
his statements by Burton and M'Queen ("The Nile Basin, 1864"), it was
arranged that he and Burton should meet for a debate, when on the very
day fixed, Speke accidentally shot himself while out partridge-shooting.

Sir R. Murchison, addressing the Royal Geographical Society that year,
speaks of Speke's discovery of the source of the Nile as solving the
"problem of all ages."

Only two books were published by Speke--the "Journal" of 1863, which
follows, and its sequel--"What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the
Nile," which appeared in the year of his death, 1864.

Introduction.

In the following pages I have endeavoured to describe all that appeared
to me most important and interesting among the events and the scenes
that came under my notice during my sojourn in the interior of Africa.
If my account should not entirely harmonise with preconceived notions as
to primitive races, I cannot help it. I profess accurately to describe
native Africa--Africa in those places where it has not received the
slightest impulse, whether for good or evil, from European civilisation.
If the picture be a dark one, we should, when contemplating these sons
of Noah, try and carry our mind back to that time when our poor elder
brother Ham was cursed by his father, and condemned to be the slave
of both Shem and Japheth; for as they were then, so they appear to be
now--a strikingly existing proof of the Holy Scriptures. But one thing
must be remembered: Whilst the people of Europe and Asia were blessed
by communion with God through the medium of His prophets, and obtained
divine laws to regulate their ways and keep them in mind of Him who
made them, the Africans were excluded from this dispensation, and
consequently have no idea of an overruling Providence or a future
state; they therefore trust to luck and to charms, and think only of
self-preservation in this world. Whatever, then, may be said against
them for being too avaricious or too destitute of fellow-feeling, should
rather reflect on ourselves, who have been so much better favoured,
yet have neglecte