New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
nAKER's SOURCES OF THE NILE.

t,.,soo+ion Of the Victoria Nyauza great lake which
,rter Is from about Is miles moth of the equator 70 TIC
reirhb rhood LAT. . 80 S.as the source Of tho VIC
tora ME- or River Somerset This stream, however near
lat p 10 NJ turns the westward and flows into te ho'n
end of another great lake whence it again almost I'M
medaely the Nile proper Captain Spoke heard rom ,0
natives OF the existence this second source OF the sn
river which has remained for so many ages the great mys
tav Of ooearhy: but he did il, and was unable
20 trace tho course of the Somerset Nile further north than
the first ta~ael Of north latitude The discovery Of the
second lake now called the Albert Nyanza, and the COM
te,e solution Of the problem Of the sources Of the Nile
were served for Mr. Baker and form the sub Of the
presen; book.
Captains Grant and Spoke had been sent out By the
English Government, from the Syia Zanzibar for the pur'
pose Of trying to reach the source OF the Ne and they
were still absent when Mr. Baker who from his youth had
been Injured to wild sports in tropical climates, sailed from
Cairo April u.s. SOL in the hope Of accomplishing the
same discovery and meeting his adventurous countmen'
Believing that one cause of the failure Of previous African
expe1 tons was the division Of counses which almost In
oyitably results when the party large one, nc resolved
10 proceed alone Bat there person who insisted
upon going with him, and who proved an invaluable ally
This his heroic young wife, who shared all his dam
gers and faigues and saved him than once from
imminent DEATH and whose constant presence IN the mar
rave lGuses soit and romantic air the scenes of
Reaching Berber eight came marches from the junction
of the White and Blue Niles, &Ir Baker became con
WINGED that would be impossible to prosecute his journey
without knowledge Of Arabic. lie accordingly spent
year and half in acquiring that language, and in the
meantime explored the Alyssnian aiuent Of the Nile
An account of these journeys he promises to give In
future volume.
To organize his expedition at the end Of this period Of
preparatory study and travel required careful selection
of ATTENDANTS but the GOyernorGenera of Soudan to
whom he had applied for assistance, would not help him.
and Khartoum the at the junction of the White and
Blue Niles whence he purposed starting contained only
robbers and cuthroats These he finally obliged to
accept An armed escort was necessary, because the
sayeac had for years existed like pestlence In the
negro countries and had exasperacd the tribes that
those who in former times friendly had become hos
tile to all corners. Mr. Baker started from Kharoum De-
cember is 1862 His party consisted Of &c persons, in
GLIDING 40 sailors who 10 convey him in boats as far
as Gondokoro, the Upper Nile. His only white COM
panon beside his wife, German carpenter famous
hunter and traveller who died of consumption two weeks
Anerward. He had 81 donkeys camels, and horses,
which he hoped would render him independent of Poers
The want of transport being of the great difficulties in
African exploration The donkeys proved by far the most
valuable animals. Both they and the camels however,
suffered severely from bird about the size of thrush,
which aghtng upon them for the purpose of searching
for vemin deep holes in their 1esh and could hardly
be driven off
Reaching Gondokoro which Mr.. Baker describes as
perfect he'll" ga colony of cutthroat the party found
their difficulties only beginning. Our author was re-
ssried BY the traders in slaves and ivory SPY of the
British Government. Whenever he approached their en-
campmens be heard the cankng Of chains the slaves
Sere driven into hdngpaces that he might not see
them The traders resolved that he should not penetrate
into the interior and among other Of impeding him.
they resorted to the plan of tamperng with his men, The
result was mutny; and when Mr.. Baker attempted to
seize the ngeader for the purpose of nActing punish
ment the rufhsn, he says, chad the impernenee to
attack him;
To stop bis blow and knock him into the middle Of the
crowd difficult and otter rapid repetition Of the
dose disabled him and selling him by the throat called TO
my Vaked Saat for rope to bind him. but ~ an instant .Sd
crowd Of upon 10 rescue their leader How me
affair would have ended cannot say but as ne scene lay
within ten yard: Of my boat my Wiz VINO sd sas WIN me s
rounded she rushed and in few moments she was IL TIE
middle Of crowd who at that time were endeavorng to
rescue my prisoner Her sudden appearance lad curious
effect and ealing upon several q ne least lIous 20 os
tunity Of an that for the moment the
nstsnt the drum beat and top my ordered
che men 10 f in 1t curious how mechanically an order
mutiny TwOhirds Of the fell in and formed In line
while the remainder retreated with the rngleader Eslr
whom they led away, declaring that be was badly hurt Inc
affair ended insisting upon all forming in line and upon
tho Iiagelder being brought forward In this eeai mo
I ~ forgive him If he Kissed nv hand and begged for pardon.
This COMPROMISE completely the who although
few minutes before in open muuny. now called upon their
rng eader Eesur TO apologize and that all would be rS
made them rather bitter speech, and dismissed them
Matters were in this delicate situation when guns wero
heard firing in The distance Bakers negroes rushed TO tie
boat with a report that two white had arrived who
had come from the sea- One author hurried to meet them,
and recognized in Of the two his old friend sPekei
with heart beating WITH Joy took off Ty 3 and S gave
did not recognize ten years grown OF Uaru anu
tsche had worked changes and as was totally interpreted
N, anpesrance IN the Of Africa appeared TO hin
lncrefo Ihardy required Introduction 10 MS copah
ION "A We felt already acquainted and after the transports OF
Is h,npy meeting w. walked together to diahbiah my
men surrounding with smoke ana noise " heepns W az
~ me awning and such ugh fare could
be hastily prepared was set before these Two raggeg f
specimens African travel whom looked upon VIII ieehg'
Of pride a. my own countrymen'
Having received from them map Of their route and an
account Of wba, portions Of country remained to be
plored and seen them embark for homo at Gondokoro
Mr. Baker renewed his preparations for the start. An
other mutny, with plot TO murder was discovered by
faithful boy named Saat-the only faithful attendant
srcept an habua drunkard named Rehan, in the whole
psrty-and was checked by little display Of pluck and
generahp; but tie discounted sayages refused to con-
tinue the Journey at last, by dnt Of threats IL men
were induced 10 march, purposing, as MI Baker well
knew TO desert at convenient opportunity and the
cavaoade accordingly started for Central Africa March 20
1853 following party Of traders who had threatened
70 Gre upon them IL they came near. But as
our travellers had neither guide interpreter 1t was
necessary 10 force themselves upon the traders company
There dangerous pass the road through the ter
rtory of wsrike people, and Mr.. Baker knew that the
traders had but give the word and the natives would
there fa upon him. His only hope was in outmMching
hs unfendy companions In this be failed, and the OK.