3.1 'darkest africa' lures many adventurers  (Page 2/2)

In 1856 Richard Burton, a man who could speak 29 languages, and John Speke were sent to find the source of the Nile. Both these adventurers contracted malaria, which left Burton's legs paralysed and left Speke both deaf and blind. Fortunately both recovered and they were able to continue their journey. They arrived at Ujiji (Lake Tanganyika) in 1858 and were convinced that they had found one of the lakes on the map of Ptolemaeus. However soon realised that they had not yet reached the source of the Nile.

Speke went on to search for Lake Nyasa, a lake of which people in Europe had heard much, but no one had ever seen. He thought he had discovered the source of the Nile, but had not done enough research to prove his theory. He named the lake that he had discovered Lake Victoria, after the British Queen. When Speke told Burton about his discoveries, Burton doubted whether Speke was right and ill feeling developed between them.

Speke and James Grant then continued their explorations and became the first Europeans to be allowed to enter Uganda in 1862. In that year Speke reached the banks of a river that flowed out of Lake Victoria, but he, again, could not gather enough evidence to prove that this river was the Nile.

Burton was not satisfied with what Speke had told him and made arrangements for a meeting in England, in 1864, for Speke to provide the necessary evidence for his assertion that he had discovered the source of the Nile. Speke was killed in a shooting accident a day before the planned meeting. Later it was proved that the source of the Nile is at Lake Victoria.

a) Explain why Africa was known as the Dark Continent .

b) It is important to know that discoveries occurred in different parts of Africa. Mark the course of the journeys of discovery on a map. Show the routes with dots. This will make it possible to have a better idea of where in Africa people gathered information and if they were helping local people. Draw your own map.

Group work!

c) By the beginning of the 1800s interest in Africa was rekindled. Why did this happen?

Group work!

d) Your group must discuss the above-mentioned "discoverers" to decide which one should be commemorated by means of a monument. Design such a monument – with an inscription explaining why this particular person deserved to have a monument erected to him.

e) The new wave of explorers not only brought information about Africa to Europe, but also introduced local people to Western civilisation. Read the following report on the search for the source of the Nile and indicate the kind of information that became available:

• to local people (people living in Africa).
• about local people.

Brainstorming!

f) The illustration shows the monument that was erected in Kensington Gardens, London, to honour Speke.

• Why was it erected in London?
• Why would you say that Speke deserved it? What about Burton or Grant?
• What would have happened if Burton and Speke did not travel to Africa?

Assessment

Memorandum

Activity

(a) There were many things about Africa that had not yet been cleared (light shed upon), eg. origins of the big rivers, secret cities, etc.

Large parts of Africa had not yet been converted to Christianity. (Christians considered Christ to be the light of the world.)

(b) In the nineteenth century Europeans were very interested in the discovery of distant places, in the same way we are interested in discoveries in space today.

Because there was no radio or TV to inform the people, they regularly read about it in newspapers, magazines and books. The resulting publicity excited people tremendously about explorers.

(f) Famous British explorers – made known the source of the Nile to the world. In fact, Burton and Speke made the discovery together. Burton spread the news before before Burton returned to England. (Buton became ill at Lake Tanganyika.)