I860.] Geography. 99 



requested to furnish the vessels of H. M. navy with the deep-sea 

 sounding apparatus, such as was used under Sir L. McClintock, in the 

 ' Bulldog,' and that the results of the researches that might be carried 

 on, should be recorded in the Hydrographic Department of the 

 Admiralty, and the specimens forwarded to the Geological Museum. 



The first memoir of the session, " On the Head- waters of the Nile," 

 by Captain Burton, is referred to below. The President alluded to the 

 labours of Dr. Beke, Mr. Findlay, Mr. James Hogg, and Mr. Vaux, on 

 various points connected with this interesting question. Mr. Consul 

 Petherick had obtained news of Baker, who was said to have lately 

 visited some great lake, probably Luta Nzige ; but further information 

 was expected soon. The movements of Livingstone were next sketched, 

 and the capabilities of Dr. Kirk rehearsed. 



A letter from M. Du Chaillu, mentions that he was awaiting the 

 arrival of new instruments, provided by the Society, to replace those 

 lost by the upsetting of a canoe as he was disembarking in the Gaboon 

 territory. In the meantime, he had made a collection of objects of 

 Natural History, including several stuffed and one live gorilla, for the 

 Zoological Society, which, however, has since died, besides upwards 

 of 4,000 insects, including 500 butterflies. The notes of the late 

 Richard Thornton, referring to the ascent of Kilimandjaro by Baron 

 von der Decken, have been abridged by Mr. Bates to such a size, that 

 they might be read before the Society. In the meantime, the Baron, who, 

 it will be remembered, received the gold medal of the Society, is pre- 

 paring to enter Africa by way of Zanzibar, when he received, through 

 Sir H. Bv.lwer, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, a firman 

 which will facilitate his progress in the countries influenced by the 

 Egyptian authorities. The President concluded by congratulating 

 the Society on its prosperity, and the number of candidates for the 

 fellowship. 



A paper, by Captain E. F. Burton, in a tone, as was only seemly, of 

 great moderation, combated the conclusion that the whole question of 

 the sources of the Nile had been solved. Whilst acknowledging the 

 many noble qualities of Captain Speke, he contended that the sheet of 

 water known as Lake Victoria Nyanza, might, for all that was known to 

 the contrary, consist of many smaller lakes ; that the difference of level 

 was irreconcilable with a connection with the Nile ; whilst Lake Tan- 

 ganyika might be 1,000 feet or more higher than the level assigned to 

 it, inasmuch as the instrument by which it was measured was a common 

 shilling thermometer, liable to be moved from its box-wood frame by 

 the motion of a journey. Tanganyika then might flow into the Luta 

 Nzige, and thus become the head-water of a large branch of the Nile. 

 The Mountains of the Moon, which were marked in Speke's map in 

 1859, did not exist, and were, in fact, originally an exaggeration of the 

 engraver. The opinions of Captain Burton met with considerable 

 support among the numerous African travellers who were present 

 at the meeting, whilst a very general feeling seemed to exist in the 

 meeting that much remained to be done in the way of elucidation of 

 this vexed and important question. 



H 2 



