654 REPORT — 1880. 



Balkans, but it left us no record. To our own and the Russian Topographical 

 Staff in Central Asia we owe, on the contrary, a series of explorations conducted 

 under every difficulty, which must vastly facilitate the access of commerce to those 

 distracted regions. Referring here to the former alone, they may be divided into 

 three groups : — 



1. Southern Afghanistan, embracing Quetta and Candahar. 



2. The Kurram valley and generally the south of the Safaid Koh range. 



3. The north of the Safaid Koh range, including the valley of the Elabul river 

 and that city itself 



In the tirst of these an entirely new route through the villages of Tal and 

 Chotiali, crossing several mountain passes, was followed by Major-General Sir M. 

 Biddulph's column, and surveyed by Captain T. II. Holdich. Much new country 

 was also surveyed by Lieutenant-Colonel W. M. Campbell between Pishin and the 

 Afo-han desert. This officer thrice crossed the table-land of Toba, and by means 

 of the field electric telegi-aph, lias determined the- difference of longitude between 

 Quetta and Candahar. 



On the south of the Safaid Koh range we have at, least 3000 square miles sur- 

 veyed by Major R. G. Woodthorpe, embracing the Shutargardan pass and the 

 range which divides the Kurram from the Khost valley. This officer, accompanied 

 by Captain Martin, ascended in 1878 the highest peak on the Safaid Koh range 

 (Sikaram, 15,622 feet), but unfortunately was disappointed of observations, by the 

 hot-weather haze, which enveloped the peaks of the Hindu-Kush. Mr. G. B. 

 Scott, a civilian surveyor, was more successful, and obtained observations to all of 

 them. • 



On the north of the Safaid Koh range over 2200 square miles of new country 

 were surveyed in 1878-9. The Shinwaries and Khagianis have, however, an 

 insuperable aversion to plane tables and theodolites, and it was in no spirit of kind- 

 ness that they gained for the gallant Captain E. P. Leach, R.E., his Victoria 

 Cross. Less has been learnt about their countiy than could be wished. I am not 

 over-stating the services of our Topographical Staff in Afghanistan in estimating 

 the aggregate of ground covered by their surveys or sketches at 140,000 square 

 miles, and we have, through Major Tanner, got a little information respecting the 

 almost unknown land of Kafiristan, lying to the north of Jallalabad. Disguised as 

 a Kabuli, this gallant officer entrusted himself to a friendly Chugani chief, and 

 penetrated some distance into that rugged country. He says of the principal 

 village that the houses are piled one above another, and every beam, doorway, and 

 shutter carved in a most elaborate manner. The designs, he adds, are crude, but 

 such a mass of carving he had never seen before. The taste reminds us curiously 

 of that of the mountaineers of Switzerland and the Tyrol. I regret that the limits 

 of an address do not permit justice to be done to the services of these gallant 

 officers. 



In Zululaud about 9000 square miles of country have been triangidated, and 

 the details tilled in, to some extent, at our Intelligence Department, from the 

 numerous sketches of the staff; no such systematic survej' was, however, attempted 

 in this quarter as in Asia — a fact to be regretted, when we remember the excellent 

 opportunity which the military occupation of a coimtry affords for combined 

 explorations. 



In Central Africa we have tlie information given to Commander Cameron by 

 his native guides, in 1874, that a river they called the Lukuga, which he descended 

 four or five miles, is the outlet of Lake Tanganyika, confirmed and placed beyond 

 dispute by the Rev. E. C. Hore, of the London Missionary Society, who entered it in 

 April, 1879, found it free from the obstructions which an-ested Cameron, and was 

 able to go further down. Since which time, and quite recently, its course has 

 been followed by Mr. Joseph Thomson, almost to its junction with the Lualaba. 

 The discovery is of extreme interest from every point of view, especially as pointing 

 to the probable line of future communication of the regions bordering that great 

 inland sea, with the Atlantic,, although the river itself, at least after the rainy 



