The sad story of Burton, Speke, and the Nile; or, was John Hanning Speke a cad? : looking at the evidence / W. B. Carnochan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Carnochan, W. B.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Explorers--Nile River--History--19th century.

Explorers.

Nile River--Discovery and exploration.

Nile River.

Nile River Valley--Discovery and exploration.

Nile River Valley.

Speke, John Hanning, 1827-1864.

Speke, John Hanning.

Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890--Travel--Nile River.

Burton, Richard Francis.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (154 p.)

Other Title:

Sad story of Burton, Speke, and the Nile

Was John Hanning Speke a cad?

Place of Publication:

Stanford, Calif. : Stanford General Books, 2006.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This is a study of the famous controversy between Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke, fellow explorers who quarreled over Speke's claim to have discovered the source of the Nile during their African expedition in 1857-59. Speke died of a gunshot wound, probably accidental, the day before a scheduled debate with Burton in 1864. Burton has had the upper hand in subsequent accounts. Speke has been called a “cad.” In light of new evidence and after a careful reading of duelling texts, Carnochan concludes that the case against Speke remains unproven-and that the story, as normally told, displays the inescapable uncertainty of historical narrative. All was fair in this love-war.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Acknowledgments

Contents

Chronology

1. Introduction

2. The Odd Couple

3. The Story Begins: Aden

4. Somaliland

5. Seeking the Nile

6. Was Speke a Cad?

7. Telling the Truth

Notes

Works Cited

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [133]-136) and index.

ISBN:

0-8047-6788-2

1-4294-1606-8

OCLC:

77008205