'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎77] (94/258)

SOMALI EXPEDITION.
Ixxvii
his merchandise, Lieut. Burton proposes to march from Hurrur southwards
to Berbera, to join the other members of this adventurous expedition. Lieut
enant Speke of the Bengal army, an enthusiastic sportsman, has already start
ed on the 18th ultimo to fulfil his part in the, experimental tour. It is to make
his way up the Wady Nogal to ascertain the water shed of the country, a
highly desirable problem to solve in a scientific point of view, as according to
the latest conjectures Jebel Gumr runs N. and S., not as Ptolemy taught, E.
and W. If this hypothesis be corect, the Nile source must of course be sought
on the Western versant. Lieut. Speke will in marching employ his gun in
collecting specimens of the natural history of the country. He proposes fur
ther in making for Berbera—the place of general assembly—to visit a totally
unknown country viz. that of the Dhoulbahanta Somalis, and to collect for the
final expedition horses and camels of a superior description which are said to
abound among this people. Lieut. Speke has adopted the character of a
trader for the occasion, and has little to fear beyond hardships and loss
of property. Lieutenant Herne will cross over to Berbera about the
15th instant, to make most important enquiries respecting the various
caravans frequenting the annual fair, and to discover by which oppor
tunity the expedition can penetrate farthest to the westward. During
the spare hours—and they will be many—Lieutenant Herne intends to
explore the country in search of coal, said to exist at Kurrum, inquire about
and inspect the beds of guano on the Island along the coast, compare the gums,
the product of the neighbouring country, with specimens forwarded for that
purpose by Sir W. Hooker to Lieut. Burton, and take general observations.
When Lieut. Burton joins the two last named members at Berbera, the united
expedition will proceed directly westward.”
A very important addition was aftenvards made to the expedition in the
person of Lieutenant Stroyan, one of the best astronomers and surveyors,
an intelligent officer of his standing in the Indian Navy. *
On the 9th February Mr. Burton returned to Aden, full of hope as to the
successlikely to attend his next journey into the interior; and again quitted
for Berberra in the beginning of April. His intention on this occasion was to
proceed nearly due south as far as the Haines river, described by Lieut. Chris
topher invol. YI. of our Transactions in lat. 4° or 5'oN.—a distance of proba
bly 400 miles from the shore. Having ascended to the altitude of 2,000 to 3,000
feet, the party expected to reach a vast tract of grassy prairie, well supplied
with water, abounding with game, and containing a fine breed of horses. To the
south of this was the Myrrh country, a region plentif ul in water and grain. Their
hopes of investigation were, however, marred at the outset; and here I shall
again, in absence, or in anticipation of Lieutenant Burton’sown account, which
may probably first reach us through the London Transactions, quote from
Aden letters which have already appeared in the newspapers, the authority of
which may be depended upon:—
“Aden; 27th April 1855.—The fair of Berberra broke up on the 12th of April,
the caravan had set out on its return into the interior, and the officers of the
Somali Expedition were anxiously awaiting the receipt of letters from Aden to
turn their backs on the now deserted huts of Berberra ; all were full of hope, in
the highest spirits, and impatient for the start. Their camp was pitched on the
high ground, on the eastern end of the creek, within a stone’s throw of the sea
and distant about half a mile from Berberra,—the tents were in one line, Lieut