1868. | Geography. 399 
at the Royal Institution, which, except that it contained a fair 
description of the surface of the country, added but little to the in- 
formation already possessed or within the reach of every one of the 
enormous audience assembled to greet the traveller. By reproducing 
stories of Moses and of the Queen of Sheba entirely depending on 
tradition, and by the application of the indefinite word “ Ethiopia ” 
to Abyssinia wherever 1t may occur in biblical history, Sir Samuel 
showed that his authority as a historical critic could scarcely 
be so great as when he confined himself to his proper subject of 
geography. 
These doings in the more northerly portion of the enormous 
district drained by the Nile (for near Adigerat and Antalo the British 
troops came upon the head waters of certain tributaries of the river of 
Egypt) have caused the interest about the explorers of the southern 
tributaries of the same stream to flag. A fictitious excitement con- 
cerning the researches of Dr. Livingstone was for some time kept up 
in consequence of the credit given to the untrustworthy story of the 
Johanna men, even to the extent of publishing a biography of 
the scientific missionary in the obituary of the ‘Année Scientifique,’ 
although Sir Roderick I. Murchison all along showed the improba- 
bility of their account, and the unreliable character of the men was 
patent to all who read their testimony. It is satisfactory to know 
that the authors of the false account are likely to reap the reward of 
their villany from their own sovereign, the Sultan of Johanna. The 
letters lately received from Dr. Livingstone, of which we give an 
abstract below, have been read, however, with great enthusiasm, 
though they serve rather to stimulate curiosity than to give much 
information concerning the countries he has traversed. It is ex- 
tremely difficult in the present state of our knowledge to follow the 
statements of the Doctor, who does not seem to have got over the 
fault which so greatly spoilt the effect of his first work—a muddled 
and confused style. It is still uncertain by which route the traveller 
may return, but if he retraces his steps, he will probably fall in with 
a party of Irish officers who intend to take a small iron boat, fitted 
with a steam screw, up the Zambesi and the Shire, and then across 
to the lake Nyassa, which last piece of water they purpose surveying 
thoroughly, especially on its little-known northern boundary. It is 
to be hoped that the nationality of Captain Faulkner and his com- 
panions will not lead them to too hasty conclusions,—and that the 
results of their expedition may be worthy of the excitement caused 
in Dublin by an Irish attempt at solving the problems before them. 
The Zambesi itself is in a fair way to be known as well as the 
Rhine, as it not only forms the highway by which book-writing 
travellers journey towards the great lakes of southern Africa, but 
that wayfarers like Mr. Chapman, who attempt to cross the con- 
tinent from west to east, make use of this opening. Another new 
