ntially obtained through the personal influence of the Prince of
Wales. Among the guests at their table was the young Egyptian Prince
Hassan.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales said:--

"Sir Roderick Murchison, your Highness, my Lords, and
Gentlemen,--Under any ordinary circumstances it would have given
me great pleasure to be present at this interesting meeting--the
anniversary dinner of the Royal Geographical Society; but I feel
doubly proud to be here this evening as a vice-patron of so
useful and celebrated an institution. Sir Roderick Murchison has
had the kindness to allude to me as a traveller; I can only say
that I feel ashamed almost to stand here with the name of a
traveller, when I see around me so many distinguished persons
who have travelled, I may almost say from one end of the world
to the other. But I cannot be too grateful that my lamented
father at an early period gave me an opportunity of travelling
and seeing foreign countries; and the same permission being
granted to my brother, I feel certain that we have both derived
great benefit from seeing those interesting countries which it
has been our happiness to visit. No doubt much knowledge and
learning may be obtained by reading books of foreign travel, but
I feel convinced that all those gentlemen who are members of
this society will coincide with me when I say that you cannot
form so full or favourable an idea of the countries described by
reading of them in books as you can by visiting them yourselves.

"I am greatly flattered and deeply sensible of the kind manner
in which Sir Roderick Murchison has mentioned me in connexion
with the name of one whose presence we must all very much miss
this evening--I mean my late travelling companion, Sir Samuel
Baker. I cannot but regret that he was forced to leave this
country rather suddenly in order to make arrangements for his
great and important undertaking, and could not, indeed, take
farewell of all his friends. Sir Roderick has stated that I was
in some way instrumental in helping Sir Samuel Baker to carry
out the enterprise in which he is engaged. His Highness the
Viceroy of Egypt, I know, has deeply at heart the great
importance of that noble enterprise--to put down slavery on the
White Nile, and I need hardly tell you that anything I could do
in the matte