
Fan. 12, 1871] 
Cape Breton. He observes that, if a line were drawn from the 
granite mountain at Big Baddeck already referred to, bisecting the 
granite district at Aspy Bay, the Middle River gold-field would be 
five miles distant from the line on the oneside,and the St. Anne ser- 
pentine (eozo6nal ?) three miles distant from the line on the other 
side. Here we have whatis supposed to be Laurentian serpentine, 
granite, and auriferous argillite in no respect different from the ar- 
gillite of Wine Harbour and other gold-fields of Nova Scotia, all 
in close conjunction. The existence of Laurentian eozoénal ser- 
pentine in this locality is in accordance with a forecast of Dr. 
Sterry Hunt, to the effect that a line from the Arisaig Laurentian 
to Newfoundland will pass through Cape Breton. We may now 
expect, he observes, to find limestone with eozodn there; and, on 
the contrary, the same facts appear to be at variance with his 
“Terra-Noyan”’ theory. As the local name Arisaig has been 
applied by Dr. Dawson to the Middle and Upper Silurian of 
Nova Scotia, the author would suggest that, as Cape Breton 
appears to be 77 a manner the meeting place of the Lauren- 
tian of Arisaig, Nova Scotia, and the granites and argillites 
of the Nova Scotia gold-fields, the local term ‘‘ Cape- 
Bretonian” should be adopted as their designation, and that 
**Terra-Novan” should be reserved for other countries. The 
one term is equally euphonic with the other, and much more 
ancient. It was observed that there was a great gap between 
the Laurentian of Arisaig and its Middle and Upper Silurian and 
Devonian. In searching for formations to fill the gap, it was 
necessary to look to the gold-fields of Nova Scotia. The evidence 
of fossils was much desiderated in the investigation. The grits 
and argillites of the gold-fields were lithologically different from 
the Middle and Upper Silurian and Devonian (fossiliferous or me- 
tamorphic), and stratigraphical evidence showed what the author 
regarded as constructive unconformability. He expects in the 
further prosecution of investigations which are to be recorded at a 
subsequent meeting of the Institute, to be able to bring the evidence 
of fossils indirectly to his aid, and to point out direct sequence. 
It was observed that the upper and middle Silurian rocks of 
Nova Scotia had as yet failed to show gold even in the very 
smallest quantity—that various localities having metamorphic 
slates and quartz-veins of Clinton or Middle Silurian age had 
rece ived a short-lived celebrity in the provincial newspapers, but 
the report had invariably been found incorrect. The author 
hailed the decisions of Prof. Hind in reference to the age of the 
Greneid (granite) grit and argillite of the gold-fields, and con- 
sidered that he had rendered very important service in completing 
the Azoic (or Eozoic) and Palaeozoic systems of Nova Scotia. 


LETIERS FROM CENTRAL AFRICA* 
SERIBA GHATTAS IN Djur, Fly 29, 1870 
FTER an absence of nearly eight months I have arrived 
here once more, considerably reduced in bulk in consequence 
of the privations and fatigues which Ihave had to undergo, but 
otherwise thoroughly well and active. A poultry yard anda milch 
cow, which I intend to providemyselfwith, will, in additiontoa few 
weeks’ rest, restore my lost strength completely. The journey to 
the Niam-Niam country, which J undertook as the guest of my 
friend, Mohammed Abu Tsammat, with his ivory caravan of 300 
men, and whose acquaintance I made during the river journey, 
was successfully completed, as we had no losses to deplore, 
except a few female slaves who were taken away whilst 
fetching water; and besides the wounding of the leader, 
Mohammed, only one of my people was injured by an arrow, 
which struck him in the arm, but fortunately the wound was 
speedily healed. 
The climate of the country traversed by us is an exceedingly 
salubrious one, and my people as well as myself enjoyed the best 
of health. I had only reason to complain, and that bitterly, of 
two things, viz. the numberless, excessively tedious, and dis- 
agreeable passages across the rivers, rivulets, and swamps, and 
the want of a sufficiency of food, which I experienced during the 
whole of the journey. In the southern part of my route such 
passages occurred every quarter of an hour, taking sometimes 
hours to complete. |My donkey, which I have brought back 
in thorough good health, was consequently of little or no use to 
me, as I should have had to dismount continually, The waters are 
here, contrary to the otherwise steppe-like character of the 
country through which we journeyed, invariably surrounded and 
* Translated from the Cologne Gazette. 
NATURE 

215 
overshaded by dense masses of trees; a small footpath leads 
through the thicket ; broken boughs and stems of trees from 
three to four feet thick lie about in all directions, over which it is 
necessary to clamber orstumble. Wading up to the hips in the 
black mud of the swamp, and at the same time passing through 
the prickly bushes, especially the Pandanus and Kotany (Cala- 
mus or bamboo) which fetched blood at every step, I was un- 
fortunately not able, like Speke, to take my clothes under my 
arms, as the hands were as essential as the feet in helping one 
forward. My large hat was my only clothing. At length, when 
I had crossed over, clean water had to be sought for ablutions ; 
then when [had got rid of the black tint, which made me look 
like a moor, I had frequently to remove leeches, of the thickness 
of one’s finger, which had fastened themselves to my legs. How 
greaily I regretted not being able to dispense with my trousers, 
at least, to avoid the excessive annoyance which the constant 
dressing and undressing caused, but the sensitive epidermis of 
the adult European does not so easily accustom itself to the 
roughness of the path, and the sudden changes in temperature 
eau to be guarded against as carefully as a Russian summer 
does. 
Our dietary arrangements were, as I have already hinted, but 
ofa very moderate cha:acter. Amongst the real Niam-Niam people 
there was, it 1s true, durrah corn, and upon the outward journey 
there was abundance of root-vegetables, such as cassavi, colocasia, 
and admirable yams (on the return journey, unfortunately, all 
these had been devoured or returned to the earth) ; but, on the 
other hand, there was an utter absence of cattle, the only flesh 
that could be obtained being that of fowls. At King Munsa’s 
there were goats, but no corn. If I had not occasionally found 
time for hunting—in which, upon my return journey, I was suc- 
cessful in meeting with large numbers of antelopes—I must have 
starved, This want of provision was the more keenly felt, through 
the constant partial immersions sharpening the appetite ; and on 
account of the difficulties of the march we were only able to have 
one meal a day, so that one’s stomach was never thoroughly 
satished. My butter, which I had exhausted, I was compelled 
to substitute with goat-fat, and later on even with oil. For- 
tunately I always preserved a stock of tea and salt. 
I travelled from here to Seriba Sjabbi, several days’ journey to the 
south-east. After travelling for days through nothing butdesert, we 
reached the territory of the principal chief of the Niam-Niams, 
called Nganji, with whom Abu Tsammat stands upon a friendly 
footing. Farther on, we passed through a district which is quite 
under the subjection of the latter, and governed by a former 
Niam-Niam soldier placed there by him. A Seriba and thirty 
warriors suffice to mainiain his authority in this tolerably populous 
district. From here we traversed the country under the rule 
of the powerful chief Uando. Notwithstanding threatening 
rumours, we found him peaceably inclined, and he offered me as 
a present a large pot containing the entrails of an elephant a hun- 
dred years old, which my people, to whom I handed the delicacy, 
assured me was very tough and rather high, After passing 
through another desert for several days, we reached the territory 
of the Mombuttu King, Munsa, whose residence was the most 
southern point reached by me, situated a little beyond the third 
degree north latitude. The southern part of it lies on the great 
Uelle river, which appears to me to be the upper Chari, 
flowing into the Tschad lake, and which resembles the Blue 
Nile, near Chartum. 
I could fill volumes were I to relate all my experiences at 
the court of this wild brown Czesar, covered all over with red 
copper spangles, and looking like a well-furnished kitchen ; of 
his numerous wives, painted in all the colours of the rainbow ; 
of his immense palace, resembling a raiiway station, one of the 
rooms of which, and where I was first received, being 100 feet 
long by 50 feet broad, and 40 feet high. It would be im- 
possible for me, however, to pass over in silence the horrible 
cannibalism which is here, as well as among the real Niam- 
Niams, everywhere in vogue. Munsa dines off human flesh 
every day of his life; the Mombuttn people make regular 
battues upon the wilder negro races in the south, where those 
that are killed are at once cut up, the fat is melted down, and 
the flesh dried. ‘hose that are captured are driven off to be 
slaughtered at convenience. 
The Niam-Niams are thrown more upon their own resources. 
Tf, however, there should happen to be a cessation of internecine 
feuds, they attack the Nubian caravans, although it should be to 
their interest to keep the peace, as they are well paid for their 
ivory and provisions with copper and glass beads, and their 


