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قراءة كتاب In the Heart of Africa
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class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Fright of the Tokrooris—Deserters who didn't desert—Arrival of
the Sherrif brothers—Now for a tally-ho!—On the heels of the
rhinoceroses—The Abyssinian rhinoceros—Every man for himself
CHAPTER X.
A day with the howartis—A hippo's gallant fight—Abou Do leaves
us—Three yards from a lion—Days of delight—A lion's furious
rage—Astounding courage of a horse
CHAPTER XI.
The bull-elephant—Daring Hamrans—The elephant
helpless—Visited by a minstrel—A determined musician—The nest of the
outlaws—The Atbara River
CHAPTER XII.
Abyssinian slave-girls—Khartoum—The Soudan under Egyptian
rule—Slave-trade in the Soudan—The obstacles ahead
CHAPTER XIII.
Gondokoro—A mutiny quelled—Arrival of Speke and Grant—The sources of
the Nile-Arab duplicity—The boy-slave's story—Saat adopted
CHAPTER XIV.
Startling disclosures—The last hope seems gone—The Bari chief's
advice—Hoping for the best—Ho for Central Africa!
CHAPTER XV.
A start made at last—A forced march—Lightening the ship—Waiting
for the caravan—Success hangs in the balance—The greatest rascal in
Central Africa—Legge demands another bottle
CHAPTER XVI.
The greeting of the slave-traders—Collapse of the
mutiny—African funerals-Visit from the Latooka chief—Bokke makes a
suggestion—Slaughter of the Turks—Success as a prophet—Commoro's
philosophy
CHAPTER XVII.
Disease in the camp—Forward under difficulties—Our cup of
misery overflows—A rain-maker in a dilemma-Fever again—Ibrahim's
quandary-Firing the prairie
CHAPTER XVIII.
Greeting from Kamrasi's people—Suffering from the sins of others-Alone
among savages—The free-masonry of Unyoro.—Pottery and civilization
CHAPTER XIX.
Kamrasi's cowardice—Interview with the king—The exchange of blood—The
rod beggar's last chance—An astounded sovereign
CHAPTER XX.
A satanic escort—Prostrated by sun-stroke—Days and nights of
sorrow—The reward for all our labor
CHAPTER XXI.
The cradle of the Nile—Arrival at Magungo—The blind leading the
blind—Murchison Falls
CHAPTER XXII.
Prisoners on the island—Left to starve—Months of helpless-ness—We
rejoin the Turks—The real Kamrasi—In the presence of royalty
The hour of deliverance—Triumphal entry into Gondokoro—Homeward
bound—The plague breaks out—Our welcome at Khartoum—Return to
civilization
IN THE HEART OF AFRICA.
CHAPTER I.
The Nubian desert—The bitter well—Change of plans—An irascible dragoman—Pools of the Atbara—One secret of the Nile—At Cassala.
In March, 1861, I commenced an expedition to discover the sources of the Nile, with the hope of meeting the East African expedition of Captains Speke and Grant, that had been sent by the English Government from the South via Zanzibar, for the same object. I had not the presumption to publish my intention, as the sources of the Nile had hitherto defied all explorers, but I had inwardly determined to accomplish this difficult task or to die in the attempt. From my youth I had been inured to hardships and endurance in wild sports in tropical climates, and when I gazed upon the map of Africa I had a wild hope, mingled with humility, that, even as the insignificant worm bores through the hardest oak, I might by perseverance reach the heart of Africa.
I could not conceive that anything in this world has power to resist a determined will, so long as health and life remain. The failure of every former attempt to reach the Nile source did not astonish me, as the expeditions had consisted of parties, which, when difficulties occur, generally end in difference of opinion and in retreat; I therefore determined to proceed alone, trusting in the guidance of a Divine Providence and the good fortune that sometimes attends a tenacity of purpose. I weighed carefully the chances of the undertaking. Before me, untrodden Africa; against me, the obstacles that had defeated the world since its creation; on my side, a somewhat tough constitution, perfect independence, a long experience in savage life, and both time and means, which I intended to devote to the object without limit.
England had never sent an expedition to the Nile sources previous to that under the command of Speke and Grant. Bruce, ninety years before, had succeeded in tracing the source of the Blue or Lesser Nile; thus the honor of that discovery belonged to Great Britain. Speke was on his road from the South, and I felt confident that my gallant friend would leave his bones upon the path rather than submit to failure. I trusted that England would not be beaten, and although I hardly dared to hope that I could succeed where others greater than I had failed, I determined to sacrifice all in the attempt.
Had I been alone, it would have been no hard lot to die upon the untrodden path before me; but there was