"African Gold"
Disclaimer: All imaginary story characters are 18+
It wasn't until the winter of 1859 that I secured my first respectable job at the Grant Mining Company. My degree in geology was finally going to pay off. The company had operations in several countries looking for new sources of gold, silver, and copper. The first assignment would take me into the heart of Africa.
It was difficult to convince friends and family that I would be safe in such a hostile country, but that's what the job demanded. As a 24 year old, I felt invincible and ready to conquer the world. The company's management had been influenced by rumors of lost cities where gold was as common as tin.
I departed by sailing ship in the late spring. In about a week we arrived on the northern coast of Egypt near the mouth of the Nile River. My work mates boarded a small steam powered boat to traverse the river through Egypt, then on to our destination at the southern tip of Sudan. The river boat was slow but it afforded me time to enjoy the diverse wildlife and jungle vegetation.
It was the rainy season and the river had crested. The captain was trying to fight the current by adding more coal to the boiler, pushing the engine to it's limits. Thick black smoke billowed from the stack as the boat vibrated and struggled to make headway. Suddenly there was a violent explosion that ripped the boat apart. Survivors of the blast found themselves in the water fighting for their lives. Some were clinging to bits of the vessel while most were pulled under the swift moving torrent. I was struggling to keep my head above the water, gasping for each breath.