536 Meeting of the British Association. [ Oct., 
banks, flowing through a country which bas always hitherto been 
believed to consist of a salt desert, has thus been explained. The 
remarkable passes from the coast to the highlands of Abyssinia have 
been thoroughly explored ; the mountain chains forming the water- 
shed of a vast region have been examined; and the numerous 
sources of the great fertilizing tributaries of the Nile have been 
accurately surveyed. Besides the observations which I have taken, 
that most zealous and indefatigable of quartermaster-generals, 
Colonel Phayre, has completed a rough, but at the same time a most 
useful, survey of the whole country that has been traversed. Dr. 
Cooke, in spite of severe illness, which would have disabled a less 
zealous inquirer, has done much valuable meteorological work ; and 
the officers of the Indian Trigonometrical Survey have completed 
the mapping of the Abyssinian highlands.” 
Mr. Markham’s paper was followed by one from Dr. H. Blanc 
“On the Native Races of Abyssinia.” In it the author mentioned 
the characteristics of the Amharas, the Tigre people, the people of 
Lasto, the Shoas, the Falashas, the Kainawnts, the Agaws, the 
Zalas, the Waitos, the Figens, and the Wallo Gallas. He spoke 
of the last-mentioned tribe as having come from equatorial Africa, 
and as being, before Theodore’s rise, the most powerful people in 
Abyssinia. They are a brave and handsome race, and now that 
their great enemy is no more, they bid fair, should they, burying 
in oblivion all internal rivalries and petty jealousies, once more 
unite, to overrun Abyssinia and impose on the debauched and 
sensual Christians of that country the false creed of the Koran. 
Mr. Rassam appeared before the audience at the request of the 
President after Dr. Blanc had done reading his paper, but he could 
not be prevailed upon to make a speech. 
A paper “On the Topography of Sinai,” by the Rev. F. W. 
Holland, followed by a discussion, finished the first day’s pro- 
ceedings. 
On the second day (Friday), Mr. W. Hepworth Dixon, editor 
of the ‘Atheneum,’ read a long paper “On the Great Prairies and 
the Prairie Indians.” This was the most attractive and interesting 
paper of the day, and drew together a crowded audience. It was 
eraphic and picturesque in the extreme, and excited frequent 
outbursts of applause and laughter. The points to which Mr. 
Dixon seemed to desire to direct most attention were two. There 
was, first, the fact that the great prairie land is not a desert, but is, 
instead, a land teeming with life, both animal and vegetable; and, 
secondly, the illustration afforded by the condition of the tribes of 
prairie Indians of the philosophy of progress in civilization. Mr. 
Dixon’s opinion is that the prairie Indian is in the first stage of 
civilization, that of a hunter of wild game, and that in passing into 
