The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia: And the Sword Hunters of the Hamran Arabs

Published in 1867, Sir Samuel Baker’s journal describes his expedition to Africa in search of the source of the Nile. Baker (1821-93), one of the most important British explorers of the nineteenth century, undertook a twelve-month journey to examine every individual tributary to the Nile, accompanied throughout by his wife Florence (whom he had first encountered in an Ottoman slave market). Reflecting his passion for exploring and his strength of character, Baker’s highly descriptive, witty and fluid writing records his dangerous and difficult project, telling fascinating stories of the native people as well as relaying the facts of his exploration. From his hunting expeditions with the Hamran Arabs to his extensive journeys on camel-back and his life at camp, Baker’s experiences are far removed from today’s world, and his vivid descriptions provide the reader with an invaluable insight into what life was like in Africa in the mid-nineteenth century.