countrymen, the writer desires to give all the honour to his
predecessors which they deserve. The work of Speke and Grant is
deserving of the highest commendation, inasmuch as they opened up
an immense tract of previously unexplored country, in the firm
belief they were bringing to light the head of the Nile. No one
can appreciate the difficulties of their feat unless he has gone
into new country. In association with Captain Burton, Speke came
much nearer to the "coy fountains," than at the Victoria Nyanza,
but they all turned their backs on them. Mr. Baker showed courage
and perseverance worthy of an Englishman in following out the
hints given by Speke and Grant. But none rises higher in my
estimation than the Dutch lady Miss Tinne, who, after the
severest domestic afflictions, nobly persevered in the teeth of
every difficulty, and only turned away from the object of her
expedition, after being assured by Speke and Grant that they had
already discovered in Victoria Nyanza the sources she sought. Had
they not given their own mistaken views, the wise foresight by
which she provided a steamer, would inevitably have led her to
pull up, and by canoes to reach Lake Bangweolo's sources full
five hundred miles south of the most southerly part of Victoria
Nyanza. She evidently possesses some of the indomitable pluck of
Van Tromp, whose tomb every Englishman who goes to Holland must
see.[67] Her doctor was made a baron--were she not a Dutch lady
already we think she ought to be made a duchess.

By way of contrast with what, if I live through it, I shall have
to give, I may note some of the most prominent ideas entertained
of this world-renowned river. Ptolemy, a geographer who lived in
the second century, and was not a king of Egypt, with the most
ancient maps made the Nile rise from the "Montes Lunae," between
ten and twelve south lat., by six several streams which flowed
north into two Lakes, situated east and west of each other.
These streams flowed about west of his river Rhapta, or Raptus,
which is probably our Rovuma or Louma. This was very near the
truth, but the Mountains of the Moon cannot be identified with
the Lokinga, or mountains of Bisa, from which many of the springs
do actually arise. Unless, indeed, we are nearer to the great
alterations in climate which have taken place, as we are supposed
to be n