River of the Gods: Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile

In April 1863, Speke sent a telegram to the Royal Geographic Society from Alexandria, Egypt, stating that “the Nile is settled” (240). Both the Society and broader British public were excited by this proclamation. Murchison invited Speke and Grant to give a talk once they returned to England. Speke received numerous awards and congratulations from royals across the world, including Queen Victoria.

Murchison, however, quickly grew annoyed with Speke. He discovered that Speke planned to publish his journal with Blackwood’s magazine rather than the Society’s journal. The Society forced Speke to send an article. The article deeply disappointed the Society. The Society also had to add footnotes to correct mistakes. Speke, in general, was a poor writer. Blackwood even hired a ghostwriter to help with Speke’s book on the expedition to Nyanza. Once published, Speke’s book came under immediate attack due to inaccuracies and his focus on grievances rather than the expedition itself.

Murchison decided to hold a debate between the two men so they could argue their case for whether Tanganyika or Nyanza represented the source of the Nile River. This debate became known as “the great Nile debate.” Both men agreed to the debate.