John Hanning Speke (1827-1864) born at Bideford; Devon; England. Officer in the British Indian Army and explorer of Africa. Accompanied Richard Burton's expedition (1855-1858); sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society; when he discovered Lake Victoria Nyanza. On a subsequent expedition of 1860-1862 he discovered the exit from the lake into the White Nile which he named Ripon Falls. Here Speke is preventing M'tesa; the tyrant king of Uganda; killing one of his wives who had annoyed him. Engraving from 'Heroes of Britain in Peace and War' by Edwin Hodder (London; c1880).