"_" Explorers_NN2 of_IO the_AT Nile_NP1 :_: The_AT Triumph_NN1 and_CC Tragedy_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 Great_JJ Victorian_JJ Adventure_NN1 ,_, "_" by_II Tim_NP1 Jeal_NP1 Identifying_VVG the_AT source_NN1 of_IO the_AT Nile_NP1 fascinated_VVD the_AT ancient_JJ world_NN1 ._. 
Herodotus_NN1 ,_, Alexander_NP1 the_AT Great_JJ and_CC the_AT Emperor_NNB Nero_NP1 all_DB pondered_VVD how_RRQ the_AT river_NN1 could_VM flow_VVI unflagging_VVG through_II 1,200_MC miles_NNU2 of_IO desert_NN1 without_IW the_AT support_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 single_JJ tributary_NN1 ._. 
Yet_RR not_XX until_CS the_AT 19th_MD century_NNT1 was_VBDZ the_AT mystery_NN1 solved_VVN ._. 
Drawing_VVG on_II new_JJ material_NN1 available_JJ since_CS Alan_NP1 Moorehead_NP1 's_GE classic_NN1 and_CC accessible_JJ "_" The_AT White_NP1 Nile_NP1 "_" published_VVD half_DB a_AT1 century_NNT1 ago_RA ,_, Jeal_NP1 relates_VVZ in_II this_DD1 elegantly_RR written_VVN and_CC skillfully_RR crafted_JJ book_NN1 how_RRQ a_AT1 handful_NN1 of_IO Victorian_JJ explorers_NN2 --_JJ Richard_NP1 Burton_NP1 ,_, John_NP1 Speke_NP1 ,_, James_NP1 Grant_NP1 ,_, David_NP1 Livingstone_NP1 ,_, Henry_NP1 Stanley_NP1 ,_, Samuel_NP1 Baker_NP1 and_CC his_APPGE mistress_NN1 ,_, Florence_NP1 von_NP1 Sass_NP1 --_NN1 plunged_VVN into_II east_ND1 and_CC central_JJ Africa_NP1 to_TO uncover_VVI "_" the_AT planet_NN1 's_GE most_RGT elusive_JJ secret_NN1 ._. "_" 
Their_APPGE motives_NN2 were_VBDR various_JJ --_JJ love_NN1 of_IO self_NN1 ,_, love_NN1 of_IO country_NN1 ,_, detestation_NN1 of_IO the_AT slavery_NN1 plaguing_VVG the_AT region_NN1 ,_, and_CC a_AT1 desire_NN1 to_TO do_VDI good_JJ to_II Africa_NP1 through_II Christianity_NN1 ,_, commerce_NN1 and_CC colonization_NN1 ._. 
The_AT rivalries_NN2 among_II them_PPHO2 were_VBDR often_RR fierce_JJ ._. 
In_II31 pursuit_II32 of_II33 their_APPGE quest_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 risked_VVD enslavement_NN1 and_CC death_NN1 by_II illness_NN1 ,_, starvation_NN1 and_CC even_RR cannibalism_NN1 ._. 
They_PPHS2 survived_VVD ,_, as_CSA Jeal_NP1 reminds_VVZ us_PPIO2 ,_, only_RR because_II21 of_II22 the_AT help_NN1 of_IO numerous_JJ African_JJ interpreters_NN2 ,_, guards_NN2 ,_, guides_NN2 ,_, porters_NN2 ._. 
The_AT sighting_NN1 in_II 1858_MC by_II Burton_NP1 and_CC Speke_NN1 of_IO "_" an_AT1 expanse_NN1 of_IO the_AT lightest_JJT ,_, softest_JJT blue_JJ "_" --_NN1 Lake_NNL1 Tanganyika_NP1 --_NN1 was_VBDZ pivotal_JJ ._. 
Burton_NP1 claimed_VVD the_AT lake_NN1 as_II the_AT Nile_NP1 's_GE source_NN1 ._. 
Speke_VV0 --_NN1 correctly_RR as_CSA it_PPH1 happened_VVD --_NN1 proposed_VVD the_AT more_RGR northerly_JJ Lake_NNL1 Victoria_NP1 ,_, which_DDQ he_PPHS1 visited_VVD alone_RR after_II Burton_NP1 fell_VVD ill_JJ ._. 
Jeal_NP1 provides_VVZ a_AT1 compelling_JJ dissection_NN1 of_IO the_AT rivalry_NN1 between_II the_AT egocentric_JJ Burton_NP1 --_NN1 who_PNQS earlier_RRR had_VHD made_VVN the_AT pilgrimage_NN1 to_II Mecca_NP1 disguised_VVD as_II a_AT1 Muslim_JJ peddler_NN1 --_NN1 and_CC the_AT blue-eyed_JJ ,_, "_" tawny-maned_JJ "_" Speke_NN1 ._. 
Jeal_JJ ably_RR defends_VVZ Speke_NP1 against_II the_AT charge_NN1 of_IO betraying_VVG Burton_NP1 by_II going_VVG alone_RR to_II the_AT Royal_JJ Geographical_JJ Society_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT expedition_NN1 's_GE sponsor_NN1 --_NN1 on_II returning_VVG to_II England_NP1 in_II advance_NN1 of_IO Burton_NP1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 also_RR suggests_VVZ that_CST Speke_NP1 's_GE death_NN1 in_II 1864_MC on_II a_AT1 partridge_NN shoot_VV0 on_II the_AT very_JJ eve_NNT1 of_IO a_AT1 "_" great_JJ Nile_NP1 debate_NN1 "_" at_II which_DDQ he_PPHS1 and_CC Burton_NP1 were_VBDR to_II air_NN1 their_APPGE disagreements_NN2 about_II the_AT source_NN1 of_IO the_AT Nile_NP1 was_VBDZ accidental_JJ and_CC not_XX ,_, as_CSA Burton_NP1 claimed_VVD ,_, suicide_NN1 to_TO avoid_VVI "_" the_AT exposure_NN1 of_IO +_FO &lsqb;_( Speke_NP1 's_GE &rsqb;_) misstatements_NN2 in_II31 regard_II32 to_II33 the_AT Nile_NP1 sources_NN2 ._. "_" 
Unsurprisingly_RR ,_, given_VVN Jeal_NP1 's_GE previous_JJ well-received_JJ biographies_NN2 of_IO the_AT missionary_NN1 Livingstone_NP1 and_CC the_AT journalist_NN1 Stanley_NP1 ,_, the_AT characters_NN2 of_IO these_DD2 men_NN2 are_VBR also_RR well-drawn_JJ ._. 
Jeal_NP1 traces_VVZ the_AT events_NN2 and_CC motives_NN2 leading_VVG to_II their_APPGE celebrated_JJ encounter_NN1 near_II the_AT shores_NN2 of_IO Lake_NNL1 Tanganyika_NP1 in_II 1871_MC ._. 
Livingstone_NP1 had_VHD gone_VVN to_II Africa_NP1 in_II 1865_MC in_II hopes_NN2 of_IO proving_VVG that_DD1 Lake_NNL1 Tanganyika_NP1 was_VBDZ --_JJ as_CSA Burton_NP1 believed_VVD --_NN1 the_AT Nile_NP1 's_GE source_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 was_VBDZ a_AT1 competitive_JJ man_NN1 who_PNQS found_VVD the_AT prospect_NN1 of_IO being_VBG the_AT one_PN1 to_TO solve_VVI the_AT Nile_NP1 mystery_NN1 appealing_VVG ._. 
He_PPHS1 also_RR hoped_VVD his_APPGE expedition_NN1 would_VM publicize_VVI the_AT extent_NN1 of_IO the_AT Arab_JJ slave_NN1 trade_NN1 and_CC open_VV0 up_RP the_AT continent_NN1 to_II more_RGR benign_JJ influences_NN2 ._. 
To_II Livingstone_NP1 ,_, Africa_NP1 's_GE rivers_NN2 --_NN1 the_AT Nile_NP1 included_VVD --_NN1 were_VBDR "_" God_NP1 's_GE Highways_NN2 ._. "_" 
For_IF years_NNT2 there_EX was_VBDZ no_AT word_NN1 of_IO Livingstone_NP1 ,_, and_CC many_DA2 thought_VVD him_PPHO1 dead_JJ ._. 
Stanley_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 ambitious_JJ journalist_NN1 backed_VVN by_II James_NP1 Gordon_NP1 Bennett_NP1 ,_, irascible_JJ owner_NN1 of_IO the_AT New_NP1 York_NP1 Herald_NP1 ,_, hoped_VVD to_TO make_VVI his_APPGE fortune_NN1 by_II tracking_JJ Livingstone_NP1 down_RP ._. 
In_II 1871_MC Stanley_NP1 finally_RR succeeded_VVN ,_, though_CS he_PPHS1 probably_RR did_VDD n't_XX greet_VVI the_AT missionary_NN1 with_IW the_AT famous_JJ words_NN2 "_" Dr._NNB Livingstone_NP1 I_PPIS1 presume_VV0 ._. "_" 
Jeal_JJ shows_NN2 how_RRQ Stanley_NP1 --_NN1 born_VVN in_II 1841_MC ,_, the_AT year_NNT1 Livingstone_NP1 first_MD went_VVD to_II Africa_NP1 ,_, and_CC consigned_VVN to_II a_AT1 Welsh_JJ workhouse_NN1 after_II his_APPGE family_NN1 rejected_VVD him_PPHO1 --_NN1 had_VHD always_RR yearned_VVN for_IF a_AT1 father_NN1 figure_NN1 and_CC ,_, in_II Livingstone_NP1 ,_, found_VVD him_PPHO1 ._. 
Together_RL they_PPHS2 traveled_VVD to_II Lake_NNL1 Tanganyika_NP1 only_RR to_TO find_VVI it_PPH1 could_VM not_XX ,_, after_II all_DB ,_, be_VBI the_AT Nile_NP1 's_GE source_NN1 ._. 
Livingstone_NP1 was_VBDZ by_RT21 now_RT22 exceedingly_RR frail_JJ and_CC suffering_VVG from_II numerous_JJ ailments_NN2 --_JJ bleeding_JJ piles_NN2 ,_, rotting_VVG teeth_NN2 and_CC ulcerated_JJ feet_NN2 to_TO name_VVI but_CCB a_AT1 few_DA2 --_JJ but_CCB still_RR determined_VVN to_TO discover_VVI the_AT Nile_NP1 's_GE watershed_NN1 ._. 
His_APPGE death_NN1 near_II Lake_NNL1 Bangweulu_NP1 ,_, after_CS Stanley_NP1 had_VHD returned_VVN to_II Britain_NP1 ,_, devastated_VVD the_AT younger_JJR man_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS believed_VVD that_CST continuing_VVG the_AT exploration_NN1 was_VBDZ "_" a_AT1 legacy_NN1 left_VVD me_PPIO1 by_II Livingstone_NP1 ._. "_" 
Ironically_RR ,_, Stanley_NP1 went_VVD on_RP to_TO prove_VVI in_II 1877_MC that_DD1 Lake_NNL1 Victoria_NP1 was_VBDZ indeed_RR the_AT Nile_NP1 's_GE source_NN1 ,_, vindicating_VVG Speke_NP1 and_CC proving_VVG Livingstone_NP1 ,_, his_APPGE "_" honorary_JJ father_NN1 ,_, "_" wrong_JJ ._. 
As_CSA Stanley_NP1 put_VVD it_PPH1 ,_, Livingstone_NP1 's_GE journals_NN2 exposing_VVG the_AT evils_NN2 of_IO slavery_NN1 stimulated_VVD "_" the_AT civilized_JJ nations_NN2 ..._... to_TO extend_VVI their_APPGE care_NN1 and_CC protection_NN1 over_II the_AT oppressed_JJ races_NN2 of_IO Africa_NP1 ._. "_" 
However_RR ,_, as_CSA Jeal_JJ shows_NN2 ,_, such_DA humanitarian_JJ arguments_NN2 gave_VVD foreign_JJ governments_NN2 a_AT1 pretext_NN1 to_TO advance_VVI their_APPGE territorial_JJ interests_NN2 ._. 
