John Hanning Speke - The Discovery of the Source of the Nile

ammunition to protect him in case of emergencies, he will promise to save it, but forthwith expends it by
firing it off in the air, and demands more, else he will fear to venture amongst the "savages." Suppose
you give him a box of bottles to carry, or a desk, or anything else that requires great care, and you
caution him of its contents, the first thing he does is to commence swinging it round and round, or
putting it topsy-turvy on the top of his head, when he will run off at a jog-trot, singing and laughing in
the most provoking manner, and thinking no more about it than if it were an old stone; even if rain were
falling, he would put it in the best place to get wet through. Economy, care, or forethought never enters
his head; the first thing to hand is the right thing for him; and rather then take the trouble even to look for
his own rope to tie up his bundle, he would cut off his master's tent- ropes or steal his comrade's. His
greatest delight is in the fair sex, and when he can't get them, next comes beer, song, and a dance.

Now, this is a mild specimen of the "rowdy" negro, who has contributed more to open Africa to
enterprise and civilisation than any one else. Possessed of a wonderful amount of loquacity, great
risibility, but no stability - a creature of impulse - a grown child, in short - at first sight it seems
wonderful how he can be trained to work; for there is now law, no home to bind him - he could run away
at any moment; and presuming on this, he sins, expecting to be forgiven. Great forbearance, occasionally
tinctured with a little fatherly severity, is I believe, the best dose for him; for he says to his master, in the
most childish manner, after sinning, "You ought to forgive and to forget; for are you not a big man who
should be above harbouring spite, though for a moment you may be angry? Flog me if you like, but don't
keep count against me, else I shall run away; and what will you do then?"

The language of this people is just as strange as they are themselves. It is based on euphony, from which
cause it is very complex, the more especially so as it requires one to be possessed of a negro's turn of
mind to appreciate the system, and unravel the secret of its euphonic concord. A Kisuahili grammar,
written by Dr. Krapf, will exemplify what I mean. There is one peculiarity, however, to which I would
direct the attention of the reader most particularly, which is, that Wa prefixed to the essential word of a
country, means men or people; M prefixed, means man or individual; U, in the same way, means place or
locality; and Ki prefixed indicates the language. Example: - Wagogo, is the people of Gogo; Mgogo, is a
Gogo man; Ugogo, is the country of Gogo; and Kigogo, the language of Gogo.

The only direction here necessary as regards pronunciation of native words refers to the u, which
represents a sound corresponding to that of the oo in woo.

Journal of

Chapter 1. London to Zanzibar, 1859

My third expedition in Africa, which was avowedly for the purpose of establishing the truth of my
assertion that the Victoria N'yanza, which I discovered on the 30th July 1858, would eventually prove to
be the source of the Nile, may be said to have commenced on the 9th May 1859, the first day after my
return to England from my second expedition, when, at the invitation of Sir. R. I. Murchison, I called at
his house to show him my map for the information of the Royal Geographical Society. Sir Roderick, I
need only say, at once accepted my views; and, knowing my ardent desire to prove to the world, by
actual inspection of the exit, that the Victoria N'yanza was the source of the Nile, seized the enlightened
view, that such a discovery should not be lost to the glory of England and the Society of which he was
President; and said to me, "Speke, we must send you there again." I was then officially directed, much

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