England

England is the birthplace of both Richard Burton and John Speke. Both men are employed as officers in the army of the infamous East India Company, and both men seek the funding and support of the Royal Geographic Society to make their explorations possible. During their travels abroad, both men communicate via mail with the English mainland, where their families, friends, allies, and foes reside. As such, England is the epicenter of the explorations detailed in the book. A heightened interest in Africa at the time was responsible for increased exploration of the African continent, and although England had by this time disowned the institution of slavery, its legacy in the dubious process of colonization was far from over. At the end of the book, both Burton and Speke return to England to debate at the Royal Geographic Society in Bath. Here, Speke commits suicide and their...