Dr. Dillon's Great Friend

DR.  DILLON’S  GREAT  FRIEND

Who was he?  Where did he come from?  How did they meet?  Why were they friends?

Verney Lovett Cameron was his name.   

He and Dillon were Officers in the Royal Navy at the same time, and in the same area, along east of the coast of Africa, although they were serving on different ships.

 Verney  Lovett  Cameron,  1878

   It was usual for officers to spend the evening together when docked at a port.  Dr. Dillon was Surgeon on HMS Daphne and Cameron was Senior Lieutenant on board HMS Star.  The two ships anchored at the same time at Zanzibar to take on supplies and fresh water.  This is the first documented meeting of these two officers.  Their tall ships were employed in chasing down slave transport vessels carrying captured natives from Zanzibar and other ports, up to Arabia.
 

  Life on board ship was confined.  Imagine the pleasure of being off-duty and sharing dinner and wine, followed by brandy with your peers.  Dillon came from a religious family; Cameron’s father was a minister.  Both were well-educated and loved books.  Both had sisters who were close to them.  It appears Dillon was an extrovert, Cameron being more introspective.  They hit it off. 

  As soon as possible, Dillon arranged to be transferred from HMS Daphne to HMS Star.  He switched ships on January 20^th, 1870.  Now Cameron and Dillon became fast friends, and the stage was being set for their cross-Africa trek.

 

Cameron the Explorer