156 Scientific Intelligence. [Feb. 



settlements on the east coast, visited by Captain Owen, the Cape 

 Colony and the course of the Congo for about 280 miles, the whole 

 of Africa, south of the Line is totally unknown to us. M. Douville 

 it is true, has lately published 3 volumes, and a quarto book of 

 drawings accompanied by a map, descriptive of a journey into the 

 interior, from Benguela on the west coast, where he lays down lakes, 

 rivers, and towns in abundance, as far as about 20° E. L., and 3° or 

 4° S. L ., but it is generally believed, that the whole is an imposition. 

 Captain Maconochie is, however, more charitable, and conceives that 

 the descriptions may be founded on fact, as Douville, who was in 

 London is an intelligent man, and appears to have visited the coun- 

 try, in connexion with the slave trade. On the east coast there 

 seem to be two favourable modes of ingress into the interior of this 

 terra incognita. One of these is by a river a little to the south of 

 the equator, termed in our maps Rio Grande, which is doubtless of 

 great size, and if followed, would lead the traveller far into the 

 interior. 



The other inviting line of route, is by a river which pours itself 

 into the ocean a little to the north of Delagoa Bay, which is conjec- 

 tured to be the continuation of the large stream, observed by Camp- 

 bell in his visit to Kurrachane, a town situated in the interior of the 

 country. It is from this point that the new expedition is to start. 

 What adds to our interest, in reference to this portion of Africa, is 

 the fact of the native tribes in the interior, being well versed in some 

 of the most useful arts of life. The missionary Campbell, was the 

 first who penetrated to Kurrachane, near the 24° of latitude, but his 

 route was speedily followed by some of the Cape traders, who not- 

 withstanding the great land carriage of 1200 or 1400 miles, traded 

 with one nation alone to the amount of £ 1600. At Kurrachane, 

 we are told, iron is smelted and manufactured into knives, and 

 agricultural implements, of such superior quality as to be nearly equal 

 to steel. Cast iron pipes were seen by Captain Owen on the coast, 

 which were said to be brought from the interior. Agriculture appears 

 also to have made greater progress than to the southward, for at 

 Leetakoo, Campbell observed no stone-walls surrounding the corn 

 fields, while at Mashow and to the northward, these fences were 

 general, and in appearance would have been creditable even to 

 Britain itself. 



The author of the treatise on maritime discovery, in Lardner's 

 Cyclopaedia, having placed these facts in a strong point of view, 

 before the Geographical Society, suggested the propriety of sending 

 an expedition from Delagoa Bay to Kurrachane. The society imme- 

 diately entered keenly into this project, which was steadily pursued 

 for 18 months, when pecuniary means were procured for carrying it 

 into execution. Captain James Alexander volunteered to take 

 charge of it ; and sailed in September last. News have been received 

 of his arrival at the Gambia, where he touched in his way, and by 

 the present time, it is expected he may have reached the Cape. His 

 instructions are to land on the north of the river at Delagoa bay, and 

 not to endeavour to navigate it, but to cross it, and follow the line 

 of the greatest population, to enquire into the manners and customs, 

 the state of the people in reference to the arts, and to ascertain, what 



