Much At The Same Time, Mr Petherick, An Ivory Merchant, Who Had
Spent Many Years On The Nile, Arrived In
England, and
gratuitously offered, as it would not interfere with his trade,
to place boats at Gondokoro, and send a
Party of men up the White
River to collect ivory in the meanwhile, and eventually to assist
me in coming down. Mr Petherick, I may add, showed great zeal for
geographical exploits, so, as I could not get money enough to do
all that I wished to accomplish myself, I drew out a project for
him to ascend the stream now known as the Usua river (reported to
be the larger branch of the Nile), and, if possible, ascertain
what connection it had with my lake. This being agreed to, I did
my best, through the medium of Earl de Grey (then President of
the Royal Geographical Society), to advance him money to carry
out this desirable object.
The last difficulty I had now before me was to obtain a passage
to Zanzibar. The Indian Government had promised me a vessel of
war to convey me from Aden to Zanzibar, provided it did not
interfere with the public interests. This doubtful proviso
induced me to apply to Captain Playfair, Assistant-Political at
Aden, to know what Government vessel would be available; and
should there be none, to get for me a passage by some American
trader. The China war, he assured me, had taken up all the
Government vessels, and there appeared no hope left for me that
season, as the last American trader was just then leaving for
Zanzibar.
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