This Will Also Raise The
Intellectual Condition Of The Inhabitants By An Improvement In
The Natural Conditions Of Their Country.
.
. . . . .
The first portion of our task was completed. We had visited all
the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia, including the great Blue Nile
that had been traced to its source by Bruce. The difficult task
still lay before us--to penetrate the unknown regions in the
distant south, to discover the White Nile source.* Speke and
Grant were on their road from Zanzibar, cutting their way upon
untrodden ground towards Gondokoro. Petherick's expedition to
assist them had met with misfortune, and we trusted to be able to
reach the equator, and perhaps to meet our Zanzibar explorers
somewhere about the sources of the Nile. Although we had worked
hard throughout all seasons, over an immense extent of country,
we were both strong and well, and the rest of some months at
Khartoum had only served to inspire us with new vigour for the
commencement of the work before us. By the 17th December, 1862,
our preparations were completed; three vessels were laden with
large quantities of stores--400 bushels of corn, twenty-nine
transport animals, including camels, donkeys, and horses (among
the latter was my old hunter Tetel). Ninety-six souls formed my
whole party, including forty well-armed men, with Johann Schmidt
and Richarn. On the 18th December we sailed from Khartoum upon
the White Nile towards its unknown sources, and bade farewell to
the last vestige of law, government, and civilization.
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