UNEXPLORED COUNTRY 



miles of unexplored country, chiefly in the eastern 

 portion of these regions ; but a great deal of attention 

 has been paid by explorers during the last few years 

 to the interesting country immediately to the south of 

 the Abyssinian frontier, and to the lava-strewn plateau 

 between Lake Rudolf and Marsabit. The former 

 was first surveyed by Captain Maud, R.E,, in 

 1902-3, and again in 1908-9 by Major Gwynn. 

 In 1895 ^^- Donaldson Smith explored the volcanic 

 reofions east of Lake Rudolf, which were crossed 

 by Count Eduard Wickenburg in 1901, and again 

 described by Captain Stigand in his book. To 

 Abyssinia through an Unknown Land. In 1909 

 Mr. G, F. Archer carried out the first scientific ex- 

 ploration of this part of British East Africa, and 

 extended the triangulation of the Survey Department 

 from Mount Kenya to Kulal, near Lake Rudolf, where 

 he joined on to Major Gwynn's work. The detail work 

 has been filled in by Mr. Archer, Captain Stigand, 

 Mr. A. C. Hoey and Mr. N. C. Cockburn, and with 

 the exception of the country round the Matthews 

 range, the western portion of the Northern Frontier 

 District is now mapped with a fair degree of accuracy. 

 It was in May 1909 that the Government decided 

 to occupy effectively the country lying between the 

 Juba River and Lake Rudolf, south of the Abyssinian 

 frontier, though previously an agent had been ap- 

 pointed by the British Minister in Abyssinia to watch 

 our interests until the Boundary question had been 

 definitely settled. An effective administration of this 

 territory was deemed advisable in order to check 

 intertribal warfare and to protect the Borana, who 

 were living in the Protectorate, and were friendly, 

 from the lawless raiding parties from Abyssinia. 



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