1866. | Geography. 95 
He would throw the voleanic action back far beyond the time of 
the destruction of the cities of the Plain, of the cause of this latter 
commotion he finds no explanation. 
The Russians and Americans are pushing forward the telegraph 
from California across Behring’s Straits to the mouth of the Amoor. 
It is possible that the quickest route of communication with the 
Western continent may be through Siberia. 
In Switzerland the Aiguille Verte and the Matterhorn have both 
been surmounted by Mr. Whymper, the Gabelhorn by Mr. Moore, 
and other untrodden parts by various members of the Alpine Club, 
which has also done good service in assisting and bringing forward 
Mr. Ball’s ‘Guides, with descriptions of each col and pass from 
the actual observation of its various members. 
Besides the death so much to be lamented of climbers of this 
Club, we have to record the loss of Mr. Rae, a companion of Dr. 
Livingstone ; Dr. Daniel also, an African traveller, and a medical 
and botanical writer. 
Since 1849 nothing has been heard of the unfortunate Australian 
traveller Leichhardt, and his fate is somewhat doubtful. One tribe of 
aborigines industriously promulgated an account of his death. The 
locality where this is supposed to have taken place has long since 
been assigned to squatters, but no remains of men or cattle have ever 
been discovered. It is therefore thought to be possible that some 
members of the expedition might have been made prisoners by the 
natives, who, to prevent discovery, spread this report of their death. 
Once captured, there was but slight hope of ever escaping again, 
and therefore it is conjectured that some of the party might still be 
living in servitude. Several persons, travellers or escaped convicts, 
have lived amongst these tribes for a greater period than that 
which has elapsed since 1849; consequently the ladies of the 
colony of Victoria have fitted out an expedition to make a search 
for the remains of this unfortunate party. They applied to the 
female crowned heads of Europe to assist them in this romantic if 
not very hopeful search; the Government of Queensland have sub- 
scribed 1,0002. towards this object, and the other Governments of 
Australia have given smaller sums. If the direct object of the expe- 
dition fail, we cannot but hope that it may add somewhat to our 
scanty knowledge of the interior of the continent. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE RoyaL GEOGRAPHICAL SocIETY. 
At the last meeting of the Society before the close of the session 
of 1864-65, a paper was read, describing Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis 
Pelly’s visit to the Wahabee capital of Central Arabia. This paper 
has especial interest, since the accounts of Mr. Giffard Palgrave 
