44 Journal of Travel and Natural History 



forward to with eagerness. Mr Dufton is oi)posed to the opinions 

 of those who, knowing the country Avell, are not disposed to 

 imagine that anything in the shape of a flank movement would 

 be attempted by the enemy, who, even if desirous of undertaking 

 such a hazardous proceeding, would probably have to pass through 

 hostile territories. 



The foregoing sketch will serve as a brief introduction to Mr 

 Dufton's narrative, the latest original- work, so far as we are aware, 

 on a country with which our troops have by this time begun to 

 make a practical acquaintance. It is unnecessary to dwell in 

 detail on the cause of the author's traversing the country, and we 

 therefore content ourselves by observing that his object in visiting 

 Equatorial Africa, as stated in his preface, was of a philanthropic 

 character, with a view to the future extension of Christianity and 

 colonization, a sufficiently wide field, it must be confessed, for any 

 one man to undertake. 



Like Bruce, our author entered the "Switzerland of Africa" 

 from the banks of the Nile, and starting from Khartoum, at the 

 confluence of the White and Blue rivers, he proceeded along the 

 banks of the latter to Meselemich and Wad Medineh, and thence 

 by way of Matammah to Debra Tabor, in the heart of Abyssinia, 

 where he became personally acquainted with Theodorus, and had 

 an opportunity of forming his own estimate of the character of the 

 chieftain who now enjoys rather a questionable sort of celebrity. 



Mr Dufton appears to have been troubled with only a small 

 amount of impedimenta in the shape of baggage, but was much 

 embarrassed in having for his only companion on leaving Khar- 

 toum, " a donkey wot would'nt go." Frequent reference is made 

 to the intractable spirit of this animal, which, being probably of a 

 philosophic turn, was evidently not so enthusiastic on the subject 

 of exploration as his owner. At the village of Tyibeh Mr Dufton 

 experienced much kindness from the natives, which culminated in 

 their offering, for his acceptance, a damsel of seventeen. " I de- 

 clined," he observes "with thanks, alleging as my reason that 

 Christians did not allow what Mahommedans permitted. They 

 (the would-be donors) marvelled at the reply, and the maid 

 likewise." 



In November 1862, Mr Dufton, then accompanied by Mr Lejean, 

 the French Consul, left Matammah, a place of considerable im- 

 portance, in consequence of its close proximity to the Abyssinian 

 frontier, which is described as being indefinitely marked. On 



