our maps. [4] A
council of the Geographical Society was now convened to ascertain what
projects I had in view for making good my discovery by connecting the
lake with the Nile, as also what assistance I should want for that
purpose.

Some thought my best plan would be to go up the Nile, which seemed to
them the natural course to pursue, especially as the Nile was said,
though nobody believed it, to have been navigated by expeditions sent
out by Mehemet Ali, Viceroy of Egypt, up to 3 deg. 22' north latitude. To
this I objected, as so many had tried it and failed, from reasons which
had not transpired; and, at the same time, I said that if they would
give me oe5000 down at once, I would return to Zanzibar at the end of the
year, March to Kaze again, and make the necessary investigations of the
Victoria lake. Although, in addition to the journey to the source of the
river, I also proposed spending three years in the country, looking
up tributaries, inspecting watersheds, navigating the lake, and making
collections on all branches of natural history, yet L5000 was thought by
the Geographical Society too large a sum to expect from the Government;
so I accepted the half, saying that, whatever the expedition might
cost, I would make good the rest, as, under any circumstances, I would
complete what I had begun, or die in the attempt.

My motive for deferring the journey a year was the hope that I might, in
the meanwhile, send on fifty men, carrying beads and brass wire, under
charge of Arab ivory-traders, to Karague, and fifty men more, in the
same way, to Kaze; whilst I, arriving in the best season for travelling
(May, June, or July), would be able to push on expeditiously to my
depots so formed, and thus escape the great disadvantages of travelling
with a large caravan in a country where no laws prevail to protect one
against desertions and theft. Moreover, I knew that the negroes who
would have to go with me, as long as they believed I had property in
advance, would work up to it willingly, as they would be the gainers
by doing so; whilst, with nothing before them, they would be always
endeavouring to thwart my advance, to save them from a trouble which
their natural laziness would prompt them to escape from.

This beautiful project, I am sorry to say, was doomed from the first;
for I did not get the L2500 grant of money or appointment to the command
until fully nine months had elapsed, when I wrote to Colonel Rigby, our