A Somali attack ended Burton’s Somaliland explorations in 1855
Evidence
On 19 April, 1855, in the early hours of the morning, several hundred Somali spearmen launched a savage attack upon Burton’s camp. In the ensuing mêlée, Lt Stroyan was killed, and Lt Speke (later to gain fame for his explorations of the Nile source) severely wounded: Burton himself received a spear-thrust in the mouth. Yet despite the numerical superiority of their assailants, Burton and his companions managed to escape to Aden, and the expedition was abandoned: Burton never returned to Somaliland. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 126
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: British reprisals after Burton’s attack forced a treaty with the Habar Awal — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 127