John Petherick
Encyclopedia
John Petherick Welsh
traveller in East Central Africa
, was born in Glamorganshire, and adopted the profession of mining engineer.
In 1845 he entered the service of Mehemet Ali, and was employed in examining Upper Egypt
, Nubia
, the Red Sea coast and Kordofan in an unsuccessful search for coal
.
In 1848 Petherick left the Egyptian service and established himself at El Obeid
, the capital of Kordofan, as a trader, dealing largely in gum arabic
. He was at the same time made British consular agent for the Sudan. In 1853 he removed to Khartum and became an ivory trader. He travelled extensively in the Bahr-el-Ghazal region, then almost unknown, exploring the Jur River
, Yalo and other affluents of the Bahr el Ghazal river.
In 1858 he penetrated to the Niam-Niam country. His additions to the knowledge of natural history were considerable, among his discoveries being the Mrs Gray's waterbuck
and the Shoebill
. Petherick returned to England in 1859 where he made the acquaintance of JH Speke
, then arranging for his expedition to discover the source of the Nile
. While in England Petherick married, and published an account of his travels.
He returned to the Sudan
in 1861, accompanied by his wife and with the rank of consul. He was entrusted with a mission by the Royal Geographical Society
to convey to Gondokoro relief stores for Captains Speke and Grant. Petherick got boats to Gondokoro
in 1862, but Speke and Grant had not arrived. Having arranged for a native force to proceed south to get in touch with the absentees, a task successfully accomplished, Mr and Mrs Petherick undertook another journey in the Bahr-el-Ghazal, making important collections of plants and fishes. They regained Gondokoro (where one of their boats with stores was already stationed) in February 1863, four days after the arrival of Speke and Grant
, who had meantime accepted the hospitality of Mr (afterwards Sir) Samuel Baker
.
The charge that Petherick failed to meet his engagement to those travellers is unsubstantiated. A further charge that Petherick had countenanced and even taken part in the slave trade was subsequently shown to have no foundation (Petherick in fact had endeavoured to stop the traffic), but it led Earl Russell
, then secretary for foreign affairs, to abolish the British consulate at Khartoum in 1864.
In 1865 the Pethericks returned to England, and in 1869 published Travels in Central Africa and Explorations of the Western Nile Tributaries, in which he set out the details of the Speke controversy. Petherick died in London on 15 July 1882.
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Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
traveller in East Central Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, was born in Glamorganshire, and adopted the profession of mining engineer.
In 1845 he entered the service of Mehemet Ali, and was employed in examining Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
, Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
, the Red Sea coast and Kordofan in an unsuccessful search for coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
.
In 1848 Petherick left the Egyptian service and established himself at El Obeid
Al-Ubayyid
Al-Ubayyid , also spelled El Obeid, is the capital of the state of North Kurdufan in central Sudan. In 2008, its population was 340,940. It is an important transportation hub: the terminus of a rail line, the junction of various roads and camel caravan routes, and the end of a pilgrim route from...
, the capital of Kordofan, as a trader, dealing largely in gum arabic
Gum arabic
220px|thumb|right|Acacia gumGum arabic, also known as acacia gum, chaar gund, char goond, or meska, is a natural gum made of hardened sap taken from two species of the acacia tree; Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal...
. He was at the same time made British consular agent for the Sudan. In 1853 he removed to Khartum and became an ivory trader. He travelled extensively in the Bahr-el-Ghazal region, then almost unknown, exploring the Jur River
Jur River
The Jur River is a river in western South Sudan, flowing through the Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria regions. About long, it flows north and northeast, joining the Bahr el Ghazal River on the western side of the Sudd wetlands. The Jur River is part of the Nile basin, as the Bahr al-Ghazal flows into...
, Yalo and other affluents of the Bahr el Ghazal river.
In 1858 he penetrated to the Niam-Niam country. His additions to the knowledge of natural history were considerable, among his discoveries being the Mrs Gray's waterbuck
Nile Lechwe
The Nile Lechwe, Wasserbock or Mrs Gray's Lechwe or waterbuck is an endangered species of antelope found in floodplains in Southern Sudan and far south-western Ethiopia...
and the Shoebill
Shoebill
The Shoebill also known as Whalehead or Shoe-billed Stork, is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill. The adult bird is tall, long, across the wingspan and weighs . Their beaks have an average length of length of . The adult is mainly grey while the...
. Petherick returned to England in 1859 where he made the acquaintance of JH Speke
John Hanning Speke
John Hanning Speke was an officer in the British Indian Army who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa and who is most associated with the search for the source of the Nile.-Life:...
, then arranging for his expedition to discover the source of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. While in England Petherick married, and published an account of his travels.
He returned to the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
in 1861, accompanied by his wife and with the rank of consul. He was entrusted with a mission by the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
to convey to Gondokoro relief stores for Captains Speke and Grant. Petherick got boats to Gondokoro
Gondokoro
Gondokoro was a trading-station on the east bank of the White Nile in Southern Sudan, 750 miles south of Khartoum. Its importance lay in the fact that it was within a few miles of the limit of navigability of the Nile from Khartoum upstream...
in 1862, but Speke and Grant had not arrived. Having arranged for a native force to proceed south to get in touch with the absentees, a task successfully accomplished, Mr and Mrs Petherick undertook another journey in the Bahr-el-Ghazal, making important collections of plants and fishes. They regained Gondokoro (where one of their boats with stores was already stationed) in February 1863, four days after the arrival of Speke and Grant
James Augustus Grant
James Augustus Grant, CB, CSI, FRS, FRGS was a Scottish explorer of eastern equatorial Africa.Grant was born at Nairn in the Scottish Highlands, where his father was the parish minister, and educated at the grammar school and Marischal College, Aberdeen. In 1846 he joined the Indian army...
, who had meantime accepted the hospitality of Mr (afterwards Sir) Samuel Baker
Samuel Baker
Sir Samuel White Baker, KCB, FRS, FRGS was a British explorer, officer, naturalist, big game hunter, engineer, writer and abolitionist. He also held the titles of Pasha and Major-General in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt. He served as the Governor-General of the Equatorial Nile Basin between Apr....
.
The charge that Petherick failed to meet his engagement to those travellers is unsubstantiated. A further charge that Petherick had countenanced and even taken part in the slave trade was subsequently shown to have no foundation (Petherick in fact had endeavoured to stop the traffic), but it led Earl Russell
Earl Russell
Earl Russell, of Kingston Russell in the County of Dorset, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 30 July 1861 for the prominent Liberal politician Lord John Russell. He was Home Secretary from 1835 to 1839, Foreign Secretary from 1852 to 1853 and 1859 to 1865 and Prime...
, then secretary for foreign affairs, to abolish the British consulate at Khartoum in 1864.
In 1865 the Pethericks returned to England, and in 1869 published Travels in Central Africa and Explorations of the Western Nile Tributaries, in which he set out the details of the Speke controversy. Petherick died in London on 15 July 1882.
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