TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 131 
nation have failed to accomplish. We may therefore be sure that the British 
people will rejoice with all geographers, if the travellers should receive due honours 
and rewards for such glorious services. : 
- Among foreign Sovereigns the King of Italy has taken the lead in the desire to 
commemorate the great event, by ordering two gold medals to be struck on the 
occasion. The first, which immediately after its completion was presented to the 
leader on the Royal Geographical Society’s Anniversary, had on its reverse the 
words, so well known to Englishmen as the motto of Nelson, “Honor a Nilo.” 
The second, which the Italian Minister, the Marquis d’Azeglio, since put into my 
hands, and which has been delivered by me to Captain Grant, has on it these 
eat words: ‘ Al Capitano Grant: divise col Capitano Speke gloria e pericoli.”? 
hus do these medals remind us that, through the enterprise of her sons, England 
has won glory through many a danger at the sources, as at the mouth, of the Nile. 
Among the geographical communications which have been already sent in to be 
read at this Meeting, and of which I have any acquaintance, I will now allude to 
four only. 
Referring still to Africa, we hope to be favoured by Dr. Barth with a translation 
from the German of the ascent of the lofty snow-clad mountain of Kilimandjaro, 
in tropical Hastern Africa, as carried out by that energetic Hanoverian trayeller, 
Baron C. von der Decken. 
In relation to China, you will, [doubt not, be much gratified with the memoir of 
Mr. R. Swinhoe, a practised Chinese scholar, and formerly a British Vice-Consul, 
on the large, but little known, island of Formosa, and the numerous islets between 
it and the mainland. Whilst the publications of the last few years, including the 
‘Narrative of the North China Campaign of 1860’*, by Mr. Swinhoe himself, have 
rendered us well acquainted with large portions of the interior of China—and whilst 
Captain Blakiston has laid down on a beautiful chart the course of that mighty 
stream the Yang-tsze-Kiang, to a distance of nearly 1000 miles above the highest 
point previously reached by our countrymen—the great island of Formosa, off the 
eastern coast of the Chinese mainland, has remained comparatively unknown. 
Since the days when parts of its west coast were surveyed, the outline of those 
shores has, it appears, undergone a great change by the rapid increment of silt and 
sand washed down from the mountainous interior; so that a new survey is imperi- 
ously called for, to render some of the ports accessible to commerce. Near thee 
north end of the island, indeed, the port of Tam Sui is not liable to these dangers, 
and is indicated by Mr. Swinhoe as being best suited for commercial dealings; and 
this part of the coast was so well surveyed by Captain (now Admiral) Collinson, 
that his charts thereof may be entirely depended on. In short, now that Lord 
Elgin’s Treaty of Pekin has thrown open to British enterprise all the ports of 
China, it is to be hoped that, by the completion of accurate surveys of the south- 
western coast of Formosa, its present unapproachable harbours will soon be 
frequented by British vessels. We learn that these extensive lands are very rich in 
natural productions; and Mr. Swinhoe will interest you much by a description of 
the habits, costumes, and peculiarities of the Chinese inhabitants. The aborigines 
—a Malayan race—still occupy all the mountainous districts, or eastern side of the 
island, and live among the great forests that yield so much camphor. The subject 
of Formosa is so novel that this communication will prove very attractive; whilst: 
you will, I doubt not, be struck by the coloured drawings which the author has 
made of the Chinese occupants of this great island, and after whom, ety the 
women, the Portuguese may well be supposed to have named it “ Formosa.” If, 
as I have been led to believe, my accomplished friend Sir Harry Parkes should join 
our Section on this occasion, it is certain that he will give us a lively and accurate 
description of the Chinese people, as well as a solid and trustworthy account of our. 
political and commercial relations both with China and Japan. 
Turning to Central America, you will have a very interesting memoir by Mr. 
Osbert Salvin on the physical geography of Guatemala, in which the author will 
particularly notice the Saas si distribution of the various zoological produc- 
tions of that country. He will also give us accounts of its virgin forests, volcanos, ’ 
* London; Smith and Elder, 1861. 
* 9 *% 
