1868. ] Geography. 401 
where their incursions have a very serious effect upon the labour- 
market, and their habits incite a considerably amount of enmity. If, 
as seems probable, this huge kingdom should fall to pieces from its 
own inherent want of cohesion, it may become a matter of impor- 
tance to us who succeeds to the various portions of the ruins of the 
mighty fabric. The neighbouring and closely allied kingdom of 
Japan is in like manner undergoing convulsions, both social and 
political, about the nature of which it is difficult to judge. The old 
aversion to foreigners and to intercourse with other nations seems 
to have left the middle and lower classes of the nation, who are 
making their influence felt by the governing class, and the pre- 
sence of a troop of jugglers or tumblers among us has a deeper 
significance than might at first sight appear. It is a more trust- 
worthy earnest of future intercourse than the appearance of their 
ambassadors at our international shows, or even treaties with rulers 
who cannot divert popular feeling. The internal evidence of the 
same change is to be seen in revolutions and in the attack upon our 
ambassador so satisfactorily punished by the Mikado, whom he now 
visits in place of the Tycoon who received our former attentions. 
Two expeditions into Central Australia are spoken of. The one 
by Captain Cadell is nearly completed, after having traversed the 
country from the northern boundary of Southern Australia to the 
northern coast of the continent. Three rivers and a large harbour 
have been discovered. The other is the proposal of Dr. Neumayer, 
director of the Observatory at Melbourne, who is anxious to carry 
his line from east to west, from Port Denison to Swan River. 
Dr. Neumayer is anxious to have more attention paid to science 
in the new exploration than has been the case before; and in his 
opinion the expense ought to be defrayed partly by the colonies and 
partly by the mother-country. 
The country, so long marked on maps as Russian America, but 
which on its acquisition by the Government of the United States 
required a new name, has been called from its principal peninsula 
Alaska or Alaska. In Yankee parlance it is sometimes Walrussia. 
But little is known of this region, which is said to be of no great 
value on any account, and was only bought by the Americans 
through jealousy of British influence on their continent. An artist, 
Mr. Frederick Whymper, who spent a considerable time in that 
region, has traversed a large portion of the course of its principal 
river, the Yukon or Kwichpak, and has at length returned to 
England with the results of his stay, and we may expect shortly to 
hear something of his discoveries. He describes the climate as 
extreme, and the inhabitants vary in character from the Eskimo to 
the Red Indians. A series of sketches and a collection of character- 
istic articles made by the natives were exhibited by Mr. Whymper 
at the evening reception given by the President of the Royal 
