Speke's return

After twenty weeks, Speke returns to your camp.

“Woo!” says Speke. “Lets drink some wine!”

You are still feeling too sick for wine. You ask him why he wants to celebrate.

“Because I found the source of the Nile! Woo.”

When you hear this, your heart breaks, like a truck stuck half-way up a hill. After all those years of travelling... all those endless hours of I-spy...your journey has reached its end. 

You look at him. He is SO SMUG RIGHT NOW.

"Are you sure it was the source of the Nile?" you say.

"Well, I went most of the way round," says Speke. "It was probably the source. Come on, job done- let's go home."

You are feeling extremely weak, but Speke helps you. You begin the journey back to England.

Click here  

Burton's dream

Click here

Let Speke go

Speke bids you farewell and leaves. You hope he falls in a bog.

You are still feeling very sick. That night, you fall into a deep sleep.

Click here

Shoot Speke for being insolent

You turn your gun on Speke. You don't want him to get all the glory. If he goes ahead and finds the source, he'll tell everyone that he found it alone.

You can't let that happen!

Shoot
Change your mind

Tell Speke to wait for you

Speke does not want to wait:

"You can't go on. If you go on, over those mountains, you will most likely die! If I dont go in search of the Nile, then who will? Our journey will have been for nothing!"

Speke turns and goes to leave.

Shoot Speke for being insolent                       

Let Speke go






































































































                                                    

At the lake

You reach a huge lake. For a moment, you think THIS IS IT! But no. You have no proof that this is the source of the Nile. You will need to investigate it further and see where the water flows.

Problem is...you feel sick. Very sick. You've not felt well for days and suddenly you're so weak you can barely walk.

You decide the best thing to do is set up camp here and wait until you're well again.

Speke, however, wants to keep going, with or without you.

Tell Speke to wait for you                                 

Tell Speke to go on                                     

Say Thank You

You are dripping in tribesman saliva. Knowing the customs of the tribe, you know that this is a blessing, not an insult.

The tribesman spits in your face a second time.

"Great! Thanks!"you say.

Having been greeted by the tribe, and exchanged pleasantries, the tribe agree to guide you through the mountains. You plan the next part of your journey.

Click here

When you wake up...

...you are tied to a tree. So is Speke. It seems you have seriously offended the chief with your behaviour. Members of the tribe keep looking over at you and making loud tutting noises. THEY'RE NOT EVEN DOING IT SUBTLY. Your feelings are pretty hurt right now.


You plead with the chief to be untied.

After a couple of days, the chief decides you've learnt your lesson.

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Draw your sword

You draw your sword and waggle it in the chiefs face. You'll show him some manners!


Suddenly, you feel a sharp pricking sensation in your neck. What is that, a bee? 


You fall over.

Click here

Spit back

You spit back. This must be the way they greet each other, right? You're pretty good at working out other cultures.

Suddenly, your neck feels a bit achey. Maybe you could do with a lie down?

Uhhhh (falls over)

Click here

The tribe

You give the chief some peace offerings: some bacon, some wine, and one of Speke's wigs.

In return for your generosity, the chief spits the wine back in your face.

What do you do?

Spit back

                                                         

Draw your sword                                     

Say Thank You                                             

Turn the sails against the wind

You are shipwrecked on the isle of Pemba!

If only you'd chosen your crew a bit more carefully. Maybe picked some sailors who actually knew how sails worked.


THE END


Credits

Turn the sails into the wind

The winds rock the boats but you do not capsize. You shout at Keith for giving rubbish sailing advice. What kind of name is Keith for a sailor anyway.

You anchor up and go ashore, where you are met by some tribesmen.

Click here.

All aboard

You have hired your shipmates. You and Speke have chartered the journey. You set sail!

After a week at sea, you hit a huge storm. Speke advises you to turn the sails into the wind. Another one of your crew (Keith) tells you to turn the sails against the wind.

What do you do?

Turn the sails into the wind

                                

Turn them against the wind                                   

Let him join

"OK," you tell Speke, "if you think you're up to it, you can join my team."

Speke is overjoyed. He hugs you.

Together, you begin to plan your adventure!

Click here

Don't let him join

Speke is pretty upset. "You’ll regret this!" he says.

Whatever. You're Richard Burton. You don't need his help.

Click here

In the pub

In the pub, you are approached by a young, energetic man, wearing a rather unfashionable toupee.

His says his name is Speke.

“I hear you are chartering an expedition to find the source of the Nile!”

News travels fast around here.

“I think I would be a useful addition to your crew. I'm an excellent sailor, I cook a good curry, and I'm the best dancer I know. I thought I could be in charge of the on-ship entertainment.”

You are not so sure…you’re not used to taking other explorers with you on your travels. 

What do you do?  

Let him join                                   

Don’t let him join                      

...sailing around the east coast of Africa, and cutting inland...

Success! The panel are convinced that this is a new (yet daring) attempt to reach the source of the Nile. They agree to fund the expedition. Aw yeah.

You decide its time to spend some of this well-earned cash in the pub across the road.

Click here. 

...following the Nile all the way down, through Egypt...

“We’re not funding that!” They say

“It’s too dangerous. Too many waterfalls. People have tried before and failed. You haven’t done the most basic of research”

You leave, as they roar with laughter.

Click here

“What’s your proposed route?”

Do you show them...

Map A, following the Nile all the way down, through Egypt?                       

Map B, sailing around the east coast of Africa, and cutting inland           

A certification from the Iman

You hand over a letter from an Iman. It says "Rick went to Mecca, and anyone who says otherwise is an idiot." 


The panel agree that this is a very impressive document. 

“I wish to travel to Africa, in search of the source of the Nile," you declare. "Will you help me?"

The panel reel in horror: "Everyone who has tried to find the source of the Nile has lost their way, their pants, their legs, and eventually their mind!"


"Not me," you say. "I'm not going to take the same route as those imbeciles."


But what route are you going to take?

Click here

             

“Methinks this Richard Burton should be given a second chance”

The panel agree that Burton should probably be given another shot.

You leave, remove your disguise, and re-enter the room.

Click here

             

“Do what I say or I’ll blast you with an AK-47”

The panel look uneasy. They are not convinced by your speech. Nor by the huge beard you seem to be wearing. After all, does the Queen have a beard?

"Yeah, course I'm the Queen," you say. "Now give me all your money."

The panel ask you to leave.

Click here

             

Disguise yourself as Queen Victoria and return to the RGS

You arrive back at the Royal Geographical Society.

The panel can’t believe it. Maybe they think they are going to get a knighthood.

“Your majesty! For what do we owe this unexpected visit?”

What do you say?

“Methinks this Richard Burton should be given a second chance” 

“Do what I say or I’ll blast you with an AK-47”

             

Disguise yourself as Queen Victoria and rob Buckingham Palace

You arrive at Buckingham Palace. The wind keeps blowing up your skirt.

At the gate, the guard stops you.

Apparently, Queen Victoria is already inside, having a bath.

“She’s an imposter,” you say. “I’m the real Queen Victoria.”

To prove your point, you shoot him in the foot.

“I am highly amused,” you say in high-pitched voice. It’s the best Queen impression you’ve ever done.

You beat a hasty retreat, the guard hopping after you. You take off your disguise and throw it over a washing line. The guard will never find you now.

You head home again.

Click here 

             

Back home

You trudge back home in defeat.

Back home, you pull out your box of disguises. You have collected so many over the years: arabian headscarves, cloaks, a tiara, fake moustaches, about a million fezzes, a full-on Shakespeare disguise, a cat mask, an army uniform, and some elaborate costume jewellery.

To take your mind off things, you dress yourself up as Queen Victoria.

Suddenly, you have a brainwave....maybe this disguise can help you in some way?

Disguise yourself at Queen Victoria and revisit the RGS                                   

Disguise yourself at Queen Victoria and rob Buckingham Palace           

             

A rock you’ve got out of the garden

You put the rock on the table. "This grey blue stone," you tell them, "came from the hills that surround the holy city of Mecca. I think this proves my story without a doubt. And now, let us talk about a new expedition...."

The panel look at you in confusion.

"I thought you said it was grey-blue," says one of them. "You didn't even get the colour right."

"OK," you say. "I got it out the garden. But I did go to Mecca, honest"

The panel ask you to leave.

Click here

The Royal Geographical Society

The panel look at you angrily. They are not impressed by your incredible lateness.

"This meeting was scheduled for two years ago," says one.

"But I brought you a gift," you say, pulling out a bag of deadly scorpions. 

The panel scream like chickens. This is not going well.

"How do we know that you even went to Mecca?" says another member of the panel. "What proof do you have?"

What do you give them?

A certificate                                                           

A rock you’ve got out of the garden