{"id":352,"date":"2026-01-03T13:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T13:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/word\/?p=352"},"modified":"2026-01-03T13:22:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T13:22:02","slug":"i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/","title":{"rendered":"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober"},"content":{"rendered":"

I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober. “My bother the great M’Kamma Kamrasi!” I felt bewildered with astonishment. Then, “If you are not Kamrasi, pray who are you?” I asked. “Who am I?” he replied. “Ha, ha, ha! that’s very good; who am I?–I am M’Gambi, the brother of Kamrasi; I am the younger brother, but HE IS THE KING.”<\/p>\n

The deceit of this country was incredible. I had positively never seen the real Kamrasi up to this moment, and this man M’Gambi now confessed to having impersonated the king, his brother, as Kamrasi was afraid that I might be in league with Debono’s people to murder him, and therefore he had ordered his brother M’Gambi to act the king.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober. “My bother the great M’Kamma Kamrasi!” I felt bewildered with astonishment. Then, “If you are not Kamrasi, pray who are you?” I asked. “Who am I?” he replied. “Ha, ha, ha!…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[4],"yoast_head":"\nI hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober - Samuel White Baker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober - Samuel White Baker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober. “My bother the great M’Kamma Kamrasi!” I felt bewildered with astonishment. Then, “If you are not Kamrasi, pray who are you?” I asked. “Who am I?” he replied. “Ha, ha, ha!…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Samuel White Baker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-03T13:22:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"melyn\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/\",\"name\":\"Samuel White Baker\",\"description\":\"Victorian explorer & hunter\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/\",\"name\":\"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober - Samuel White Baker\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-03T13:22:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-03T13:22:02+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#\/schema\/person\/a0c53db4ae65115a8eace8ce7c655de3\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#\/schema\/person\/a0c53db4ae65115a8eace8ce7c655de3\",\"name\":\"melyn\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/1.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aab291c1a5e95ed98dafe92ceaef8653?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/1.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aab291c1a5e95ed98dafe92ceaef8653?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"melyn\"},\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/author\/melyn\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober - Samuel White Baker","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober - Samuel White Baker","og_description":"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober. “My bother the great M’Kamma Kamrasi!” I felt bewildered with astonishment. Then, “If you are not Kamrasi, pray who are you?” I asked. “Who am I?” he replied. “Ha, ha, ha!…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/","og_site_name":"Samuel White Baker","article_published_time":"2026-01-03T13:22:02+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"melyn","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#website","url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/","name":"Samuel White Baker","description":"Victorian explorer & hunter","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/","name":"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober - Samuel White Baker","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-01-03T13:22:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-03T13:22:02+00:00","author":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#\/schema\/person\/a0c53db4ae65115a8eace8ce7c655de3"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-hardly-knew-whether-he-was-drunk-or-sober\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#\/schema\/person\/a0c53db4ae65115a8eace8ce7c655de3","name":"melyn","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"http:\/\/1.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aab291c1a5e95ed98dafe92ceaef8653?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"http:\/\/1.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aab291c1a5e95ed98dafe92ceaef8653?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"melyn"},"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/author\/melyn\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6bvCl-5G","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":353,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-told-mgambi-that-i-did-not-wish-to-see-his-brother-the-king-as-i-should-perhaps-be-again-deceived-and-be-introduced-to-some-impostor-like-himself-and-that-as-i-did-not-choose-to-be-made-a-fool\/","url_meta":{"origin":352,"position":0},"title":"I told M'Gambi that I did not wish to see his brother, the king, as I should perhaps be again deceived and be introduced to some impostor like himself; and that as I did not choose to be made a fool of, I should decline the introduction","date":"December 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I told M'Gambi that I did not wish to see his brother, the king, as I should perhaps be again deceived and be introduced to some impostor like himself; and that as I did not choose to be made a fool of, I should decline the introduction. This distressed him\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":358,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-had-ordered-one-of-my-men-to-carry-my-stool-i-was-determined-not-to-sit-upon-the-earth-as-the-king-would-glory-in-my-humiliation\/","url_meta":{"origin":352,"position":1},"title":"I had ordered one of my men to carry my stool; I was determined not to sit upon the earth, as the king would glory in my humiliation","date":"February 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I had ordered one of my men to carry my stool; I was determined not to sit upon the earth, as the king would glory in my humiliation. M'Gambi, his brother, who had formerly played the part of king, now sat upon the ground a few feet from Kamrasi, who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":355,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/in-the-evening-mgambi-appeared-with-a-message-from-the-king-saying-that-i-was-his-greatest-friend-and-that-he-would-not-think-of-taking-anything-from-me-as-he-was-sure-that-i-must-be-hard-up-that\/","url_meta":{"origin":352,"position":2},"title":"In the evening M'Gambi appeared with a message from the king","date":"January 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In the evening M'Gambi appeared with a message from the king, saying that I was his greatest friend, and that he would not think of taking anything from me as he was sure that I must be hard up; that he desired nothing, but would be much obliged if I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":354,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/on-the-following-morning-after-my-arrival-at-kisoona-mgambi-appeared-beseeching-me-to-go-and-visit-the-king\/","url_meta":{"origin":352,"position":3},"title":"On the following morning, after my arrival at Kisoona, M'Gambi appeared, beseeching me to go and visit the king","date":"February 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On the following morning, after my arrival at Kisoona, M'Gambi appeared, beseeching me to go and visit the king. I replied that \"I was hungry and weak from want of food, and that I wanted to see meat, and not the man who had starved me.\" In the afternoon a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":356,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/at-the-hour-appointed-mgambi-appeared-with-a-great-crowd-of-natives\/","url_meta":{"origin":352,"position":4},"title":"At the hour appointed M'Gambi appeared, with a great crowd of natives","date":"March 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"At the hour appointed M'Gambi appeared, with a great crowd of natives. My clothes were in rags, and as personal appearance has a certain effect, even in Central Africa, I determined to present myself to the king in as favorable a light as possible. I happened to possess a full-dress\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":360,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/true-to-his-natural-instincts-the-king-commenced-begging-and-being-much-struck-with-the-highland-costume-he-demanded-it-as-a-proof-of-friendship-saying-that-if-i-refused-i-could-not-be-his-friend\/","url_meta":{"origin":352,"position":5},"title":"True to his natural instincts, the king commenced begging, and being much struck with the Highland costume, he demanded it as a proof of friendship, saying that if I refused I could not be his friend","date":"December 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"True to his natural instincts, the king commenced begging, and being much struck with the Highland costume, he demanded it as a proof of friendship, saying that if I refused I could not be his friend. The watch, compass, and double Fletcher rifle were asked for in their turn, all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}