EXPLORERS AND THE MYSTERY OF THE SOURCE OF THE NILE RIVER 1. The issue of the Nile River remained a big problem to the European explorers. 2. The issue of the Nile River became certain when Ptolemy first suggested that River Nile originates from a lake. This was in A.D 1. 3. John Leander and Richard Burton proved that the Nile River did not have any connection with the Niger River. 4. In 1849, Edhart drew an accurate map of East Africa showing the lake system of East Africa, and this increased a lot of interest in Europe about the source of the Nile River. 5. The mystery of the source of the Nile was later solved through a number of journeys made by various explorers. 6. In 1856, the Royal Geographical Society (R.G.S) asked Richard Burton and John Speke to come to East Africa and locate the source of the Nile. 7. In 1857, the two who had already arrived at the east African coast, set off from Zanzibar to Tabora.
8. In February, 1858 they reached Lake Tanganyika where they discovered that it was not the source of River Nile. 9. In July 1858, Speke left Burton at Tabora because Burton was sick. He travelled to Mwanza where he saw a big lake and named it Victoria, after the Queen of England. 10. When Speke came back to Tabora, he told Burton that he had discovered a big lake in the interior and that it was the source of the Nile River but Burton refused to believe him. 11. They quarrelled over the matter and they went back in February as enemies. 12. In 1860 Speke was sent back for the second journey by the Royal Geographical Society (R.G.S) to prove his claim. He was escorted by James Grant. 13. In September 1860, they set off from Bagamoyo and reached Karagwe on the shores of Lake Victoria. In October 1860 Grant fell sick while here. 14. Speke left Grant at Karagwe and he continued to the palace of Mutesa I of Buganda. 15. He was later joined by James Grant in May 1862. 16. On 28th October 1862, the two moved up the Nile and they became the first Europeans to see the source of the Nile River. 17. Speke thus solved the mystery of the Nile River which had disturbed the Europeans for many years. 18. Meanwhile earlier, Sir Samuel Baker and his wife had also tried to solve the mystery of the Nile River Source by tracing the river from its mouth to the source. 19. On 14th march 1864, Baker and his wife travelled and reached a lake which they named after the King of England, Albert and claimed it was the source of the Nile River. 20. Later Baker and his wife saw Kabalega falls which they renamed Murchison falls. 21. 1n 1862 Livingstone was asked to come to Africa and find the truth about the Nile River. 22. He was sent because people had not believed the story of Speke about the source of the Nile River. By then Speke had died and there was no body to defend his claim. 23. Even Baker had not seen the source of the Nile River so there was no proof of the claim of Speke’s claim. 24. Livingstone started his journey in 1866 from the North of River Ruvuma looking for the source of river Nile. 25. In November 1871 Stanley was sent to look for Livingstone who was thought to be dead.
26. In 1875 he reached Lake Victoria and proved beyond doubt that it was the source of the Nile River. 27. In 1876 he also proved that Lake Tanganyika had no connection with the Nile River. 28. Thus a number of expeditions helped the explorers to solve the mystery of the Nile River source which had disturbed the Europeans for long.