Consul at Zanzibar, to send on the first instalment of property towards
the interior.

As time then advanced, the Indian branch of the Government very
graciously gave me fifty artillery carbines, with belts and
sword-bayonets attached, and 20,000 rounds of ball ammunition. They lent
me as many surveying instruments as I wanted; and, through Sir George
Clerk, put at my disposal some rich presents, in gold watches, for the
chief Arabs who had so generously assisted us in the last expedition.
Captain Grant, hearing that I was bound on this journey, being an old
friend and brother sportsman in India, asked me to take him with me,
and his appointment was settled by Colonel Sykes, then chairman of a
committee of the Royal Geographical Society, who said it would only be
"a matter of charity" to allow me a companion.

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. In this
dilemma it appeared that I must inevitably lose the travelling season,
and come in for the droughts and famines. The tide, however, turned in
m