Editing Richard Francis Burton (section)

====Burton and Speke====
{{redirect|Burton and Speke|the novel by William Harrison|Burton and Speke (novel)}}
[[File:lake tanganyika.jpg|thumb|Burton was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika]]

A prolonged public quarrel followed, damaging the reputations of both Burton and Speke. Some biographers have suggested that friends of Speke (particularly [[Laurence Oliphant (1829–1888)|Laurence Oliphant]]) had initially stirred up trouble between the two.<ref>[[#Carnochan|Carnochan]], pp. 77–78 cites Isabel Burton and Alexander Maitland</ref> Burton's sympathizers contend that Speke resented Burton's leadership role. [[Tim Jeal]], who has accessed Speke's personal papers, suggests that it was more likely the other way around, Burton being jealous and resentful of Speke's determination and success. "As the years went by, [Burton] would neglect no opportunity to deride and undermine Speke's geographical theories and achievements".<ref>[[#Jeal|Jeal]], p. 121.</ref>

Speke had earlier proven his mettle by trekking through the mountains of [[Tibet]], but Burton regarded him as inferior as he did not speak any Arabic or African languages. Despite his fascination with non-European cultures, some have portrayed Burton as an unabashed imperialist convinced of the historical and intellectual superiority of the white race, citing his involvement in the [[Anthropological Society of London]], an organisation which supported [[scientific racism]].<ref>[[#Jeal|Jeal]], p. 322.</ref><ref>[[#Kennedy|Kennedy]], p. 135.</ref> Speke appears to have been kinder and less intrusive to the Africans they encountered and reportedly fell in love with an African woman on a later expedition.<ref>[[#Jeal|Jeal]], pp. 129, 156–166.</ref>

The two men travelled home separately. Speke returned to London first and presented a lecture at the [[Royal Geographical Society]], claiming [[Lake Victoria]] as the source of the Nile. According to Burton, Speke broke an agreement they had made to give their first public speech together. Apart from Burton's word, there is no proof that such an agreement existed, and most modern researchers doubt that it did. Tim Jeal, evaluating the written evidence, says the odds are "heavily against Speke having made a pledge to his former leader".<ref>[[#Jeal|Jeal]], p. 111.</ref> Speke undertook a second expedition, along with Captain [[James Augustus Grant|James Grant]] and [[Sidi Mubarak Bombay]], to prove that Lake Victoria was the true source of the Nile. Speke, in light of the issues he was having with Burton, had Grant sign a statement saying, among other things, "I renounce all my rights to publishing&nbsp;... my own account [of the expedition] until approved of by Captain Speke or [the Royal Geographical Society]".<ref>[[#Lovell|Lovell]], p. 341.</ref>

On 16 September 1864, Burton and Speke were scheduled to debate the source of the Nile at a meeting of the [[British Association for the Advancement of Science]]. On the day before the debate, Burton and Speke sat near each other in the lecture hall. According to Burton's wife, Speke stood up, said "I can't stand this any longer," and abruptly left the hall. That afternoon Speke went hunting on the nearby estate of a relative. He was discovered lying near a stone wall, felled by a fatal gunshot wound from his hunting shotgun. Burton learned of Speke's death the following day while waiting for their debate to begin. A jury ruled Speke's death an accident. An obituary surmised that Speke, while climbing over the wall, had carelessly pulled the gun after himself with the muzzle pointing at his chest and shot himself. Alexander Maitland, Speke's only biographer, concurs.<ref>[[#Kennedy|Kennedy]], p. 123.</ref>