The Mammoth Book of Travel in Dangerous Places by Keay John

Author:Keay, John [Keay, John]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Constable & Robinson
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE RESERVOIR OF THE NILE

Samuel White Baker

(1821–93)

Amongst professional explorers and big game hunters, none was as successful as Baker. A bluff and plausible figure, wealthy and resourceful, he conducted his explorations on the grand scale, invariably reached his goal and invariably reaped the rewards, including a knighthood and the delectable Florence, his young Hungarian wife. In 1864, her golden tresses causing a sensation in darkest Africa, she shared his greatest triumph when together they left M’rooli in Uganda on the last leg of a two-year journey in search of the source of the White Nile.

The day of starting at length arrived; the chief and guide appeared, and we were led along the banks of the Kafoor for about a mile, until we arrived at a cluster of huts; here we were to wait for Kamrasi, who had promised to take leave of us. The sun was overpowering and we dismounted from our oxen, and took shelter in a blacksmith’s shed. In about an hour Kamrasi arrived, attended by a considerable number of men, and took his seat in our shed. I felt convinced that his visit was simply intended to peel the last skin from the onion. I had already given him nearly all that I had, but he hoped to extract the whole before I should depart.

He almost immediately commenced the conversation by asking for a pretty yellow muslin Turkish handkerchief fringed with silver drops that Mrs. Baker wore upon her head: one of these had already been given to him, and I explained that this was the last remaining, and that she required it. . . . He “must” have it. . . . It was given. He then demanded other handkerchiefs. We had literally nothing but a few most ragged towels; he would accept no excuse, and insisted upon a portmanteau being unpacked, that he might satisfy himself by actual inspection. The luggage, all ready for the journey, had to be unstrapped and examined, and the rags were displayed in succession; but so wretched and uninviting was the exhibition of the family linen, that he simply returned them, and said “they did not suit him.” Beads he must have, or I was “his enemy.” A selection of the best opal beads was immediately given him. I rose from the stone upon which I was sitting, and declared that we must start immediately. “Don’t be in a hurry,” he replied; “you have plenty of time; but you have not given me that watch you promised me.” . . . This was my only watch that he had begged for, and had been refused every day during my stay at M’rooli. So pertinacious a beggar I had never seen. I explained to him that, without the watch, my journey would be useless, but that I would give him all that I had except the watch when the exploration should be completed, as I should require nothing on my direct return to Gondokoro. At the same time, I repeated to

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.