564 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



home. The engineers have, however, made a rapid reconnoissance 

 of nearly the whole territory east of the Jordan. 



" I have frequently called your attention to the remarkable remains 

 that are found in the country east of the Jordan the Moab Bashan 

 Gilead of the Bible of which, until the recent explorations, nothing 

 comparatively was known. Though this part of Syria may be reached 

 in a few days from the northern part of the Dead Sea, or from the sea 

 of Galilee, it was not visited by travelers, in consequence of the rugged 

 nature of the country and the hostile tribes of Bedouins that inhabit 

 it. It has now been ascertained to abound in architectural and archae- 

 ological remains of the greatest interest. It is literallv strewed with 

 the remains of towns and of structures, many of them remarkable for 

 their massiveness, which belong to a past civilization, of which we 

 know nothing. You will remember that some years ago, from the in- 

 dications which then existed, I expressed the opinion that this must 

 have been, at an early period, one of the chief routes between Asia 

 and Africa, and the ruins which have since been found in the explora- 

 tions carried on by the American society, and their extent, confirm 

 that impression. 



"Dr. William Thompson, the veteran American missionary and 

 explorer in Syria, in a recent letter says that, in making a tour through 

 this region, nothing ever impressed him so much as the richness of 

 this field in the remains of ancient civilization. He says that there 

 are not only acres on acres of splendid ruins, but fortifications, temples, 

 baths, and theatres, the best preserved in existence, and which have 

 evidently stood undisturbed for ages. While on the west side of the 

 Jordan, he remarks, cities have been robbed to build other cities just 

 as the ruins of Tyre are now contributing ship-loads of stone toward 

 building the present city of Beyrout the east side of the. Jordan has 

 remained unmolested for 1,500 years ; and that there exists there an 

 unequaled combination of art and Nature in an untouched condition 

 of splendor and ruin." 



The work of exploration and investigation in respect to the un- 

 known parts of Africa has been vigorously followed up during the 

 year. The Niger, Volta, Ogowe, and Congo Rivers have been explored 

 more or less fully. The source of Guango River has been reached by 

 penetrating the interior across the Talamunga Mountains, which are 

 from 4,000 to 5,000 feet high. 



"When our fellow, M. du Chailln, several years ago laid before 

 us the account of the pygmies he had found in Western Africa, near 

 the equator, it was received in certain parts of Europe with incre- 

 dulity; but these pygmies of the western coast have since been seen 

 by others, and the existence of races of pygmies is now established by 

 the facts gathered by Schweinfurth, Miani, and others in Africa, and 

 by recent researches in India. Mr. Marcette says that these pygmies 

 were well known to the ancient Egyptians, and that there is a bass- 



