NOVEMBKR 2, ISKi.] 



SCIENCE. 



5U1 



students. Tonquin is known to us only by its delta, 

 which has been an object for fine work by French 

 hydrographic engineers. Beyond, to the right and 

 left of the Hed River, surveyed first by Mr. Dupuis, 

 and afterward by Jlr. de Kergaradec, we know noth- 

 ing, or almost nothing, with certainty. Last year, 

 in the face of dangers to which his companion Mr. 

 Courtin succumbed, Mr. Villeroy-d'Augis made an 

 examination which has given us the first rough 

 sketch of the course of the Black River. The mineral 

 resources of Tonquin, on the coast at least, have 

 been ascertained by J[r. Fuchs in a recent voyage; 

 and this distinguished engineer seized the opportu- 

 nity to gather the first materials of the geological 

 constitution of that part of Anam, as well as the 

 rest of Indo-China. The events which are taking 

 place at Tonquin we cannot examine; but they will 

 lead, doubtless, to a state of things which will render 

 journeys practicable. Mr. Harmand, who was con- 

 spicuous at tlie beginning of his career for his impor- 

 tant explorations, will doubtless lend his co-oper.ation 

 to the French explorers who are about to set out for 

 these parts of Asia. 



If we turn our eyes toward Africa, we see several 

 Frenchmen engaged in the contest which will defi- 

 nitely free this continent to science in opening it to 

 civilization. For all Algeria the time of exploration, 

 properly so called, is past. The country surveyed by 

 geodesians is open to military topographers, who will 

 give us a representation of it as beautiful and as cor- 

 rect as the map of France. At the instigation of 

 our colleague. Col. Perrier, chief of the geographical 

 service of the army, the surveys are being followed 

 up, and the publication of the work will soon begin, 

 to be continued without interruption. 



For the extreme south of Orange, geography had 

 only a series of isolated guide-books, witli a few de- 

 scriptions carefully made, but limited. Wars have 

 drawn to this territory a troop of surveyors, whose 

 campaigns have resulted in a survey, based on a tri- 

 angulation, of all the country between Meclieria, the 

 terminus of the Orange railroad, and the great oasis 

 of Figuig. I certainly do not err in asserting, that the 

 officers who have accomplished this difficult and dan- 

 gerous work, Capt. de Castries and Lieuts. Brosselad 

 and Delcroix, deserve well of geography. 



In France the events in Tunis have been watched 

 with much interest. Geography will gather the first 

 fruits from these events. Here, again, wc were re- 

 duced to information confined to the surroundings of 

 Tunis, and certain points of the regency, and very 

 estimable itineraries, but whose loose threads circum- 

 scribe vast regions left blank on the charts or timo- 

 rously sketched. Following our exploring column, 

 skilful surveyors have continued to fill up these gaps. 

 Their records have been completed, and arranged 

 methodically by officers attached to the geographical 

 service of the army. If I am correctly informed, this 

 service now possesses the materials for a large map, on 

 which Tunis will appear in a decidedly new light, 

 with the arrangement of its valleys, the character and 

 projection of its prominence, and the precise position 

 of its centres of population. 



The minister of public instruction, on his part, lias 

 organized an expcdilion for the scientific exploration 

 of Tunis. Already, from an archeological stand- 

 point, important discoveries have been made on this 

 ground, wliere exist tlie relics of several great civiliza- 

 tions. The learned work of Mr. Charles Tissot, tlie 

 correspondent of the institute, formerly ambassador 

 to London, will be, as far as concerns the Roman 

 epoch, a fine and substantial introduction to the in- 

 vestigations undertaken. Our protectorate will re- 

 vive the Tunis of the past, while it creates a Tunis 

 of the futtue. Here is the opportunity to mention 

 the scheme in regard to the interior African sea, ren- 

 dered practicable by tlie perseverance, disinterest- 

 edness, and knowledge of Commander Roudaire. 

 Other surveys, executed during this campaign by the 

 engineers whom Capt. Henry leads, fill up the gaps in 

 the previous works, complete the information regard- 

 ing the banks of the Senegal or lis tributaries, and 

 prepare the route towards Banimakoo for the next 

 expedition. This time a larger parly must be sent 

 out than on preceding expeditions, and they ought 

 to advance farther. After having, while the road 

 was making, removed, without striking a blow, the 

 cliief of Moorgoola, who was hostile to us, and after 

 taking by assault the village of Daba, where advance 

 was opijosed, the coliiinn fin.ally arrived at Banima- 

 koo, Feb. 1; and, on the 7th, Col. Borgnis-Desbordes 

 laid the first stone of the fort. From this first jour- 

 ney, under the direction of Capt. Bonnier, the sur- 

 veyors, who included some experienced officers (Capt. 

 Valliere, for instance), have brought back very com- 

 plete results, extending over the ground between Kila 

 and Bamniakoo, and in the surrounding countries, 

 Fooladoogo, Gangara, and Bel^doogoo. They have 

 also contributed largely to the geography of a coun- 

 try lately only touched by a few explorers. 



I do not know that you will agree with me; but I 

 sec, in these three expeditions of Col. Borgnis-Des- 

 bordes, a very interesting moral side. Let us imagine 

 a handful of men setting out from Calais, to reach, 

 in a certain time, the neighborhood of Vienna or 

 Budapest: let that be the distance. You know 

 the difliculties tliat were encountered. After a long 

 journey in barges on the Senegal, it was necessary, 

 under a burning sky, to make weary marches across 

 districts covered with high grass or with thorny plants, 

 and across calcined plains. They must scale steep 

 acclivities, pass through innumerable swamps, slimy 

 and malarious. They must venture through naiTow 

 patlis on the sides of cliffs into defiles, — veritable 

 Thermopylae, where a few might stop an army. After 

 the departure, fever attacked the column, and each 

 d.ay claimed its victim. Nevertheless their courage 

 did not fail. At times they were compelled to fight, 

 and to the ravages of fever was added the fire of an 

 enemy who could not be disregarded. Sometimes 

 they stopped; but then they were obliged to work 

 without relaxation in building a fort, for the season 

 was advancing. Three times in succession our sol- 

 diers, under such circumstances, have penetrated to 

 the heart of the western Soodan, led by a man har- 

 dened by bravery, lie was commissioned to push to 



