INTO THE UNKNOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 26, 1 February 1928, Page 6

INTO THE UNKNOWN.

BAKER AT THE ALBERT

NYANZA.

Sir Samuel White Baker inherited his roving disposition and dauntless courage, for some of his ancestors had been mariners of renown in Elizabethan days, and his many wanderings throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, which extended over a period of fifty years, were all prompted by his keen love of adventure.

When his friend, J. H. Speke, started on his famous African journey in 1800, for the purpose of proving his theory that the Victoria Nyanza was the source, of the Nile, Baker decided to organise an expedition to aid the explorer in the later stages of his trip. Baker's expedition was unique in three ways, for he made no public announcement of his intentions, he bore the whole expense of the journey himself, and he was accompanied by his wife. It was mainly owing to the courage and tact of this lady, who was a Hungarian by birth, that Baker was able to complete his memorable journey, for her timely intervention saved the expedition from disaster on several occasions.

As Baker did not intend to set out to meet Speko until late in 1562, he determined to make a preliminary trip through Abyssinia, with the two-fold object of occupying his time and gaining souie experience of African travel. This he did in 1861, when he explored the many tributaries of the Nile, with the result that he made a most remarkable discovery, namely, the true cause of the periodical flooding of the Nile Valley. Up to that time it was supposed that the inundation was caused by an overflow from the great lakes in Central Africa, but Baker was able to prove that it owed its origin to the tremendous masses of water which accumulated in the various tributaries the rainy seasons of the year. At the end of 1802 Baker left Khartoum, with a force of nearly a hundred natives, and travelled up the Nile with the intention of joining Speke. At (iondoroko he heard of the approach of a caravan, with which two white men were said to be travelling, and he awaited its arrival. The travellers proved to be Speke and Grant, who had completed their task by the discovery that the Nile did really issue from the Victoria Nyanza. Speke's success robbed Baker of the main object of his journey, and he at once made lip his mind to seek a second great lake, of which Speke had learned the existence, but had been unable to reach. This changc in his plans proved a fortunate one, for it resulted in Baker making the discovery which placed him in the ranks of the most illustrious African explorers. His journey was a perilous aijd arduous one, and for several months he and his brave wife carried their lives in their hands. His progress was delayed by the hostility of the natives and the slave traders, to say nothing of the constant diminution of his company by death and desertion, but finally, on the March 14, 18<»4, he reached the lake, which he named the Albert Nyanza.

Ho arrived at liis goal near the native village of Vacovia, and had his first view of the glistening waters of the inland sea from a granite cliff. 1")00 feet in height, from which lie was able to gaze over a boundless horizon to the south, a fact which gave him a somewhat exaggerated idea of the size of the lake. He travelled along the shore until he reached a spot where he found the River Nile issuing 011 its northward journey to the sea, and thus solved the final problem of the historic river, which had baffled explorers for nearly two thousand years.

11l 18(59 Baker returned to Egypt at tlie j request of the Khedive, and was entrusted with the task of attempting to suppress the slave trade in the Equatorial regions of the Nile, and opening up the country to commerce and civilisation. After four years of successful labour he was succeeded by the gallant General Gordon, and ten years later Baker became one of the sternest ci'tics of the British Government, which decided to abandon the Sudan and left Gordon to perish at his post.