1865.] Geography. 471 



coast of Africa in July, and which curves sharply to the westward 

 after crossing the line, in about 17° W. longitude. That this current 

 conies from a southern origin is shown by the fact that it is at a 

 higher temperature in March after an Antarctic summer. The 

 southern ocean, too, sends icebergs into Table Bay, whilst the sea, 

 only a short distance to the south-east, is at a much higher tem- 

 perature. 



" The Eovuma river, East Africa," described by Dr. Kirk, is 

 interesting as being the point from rthich Dr. Livingstone intends to 

 start on a new expedition into the interior. This stream is accessible 

 to small vessels, in consequence of having no bar, and it leads inland 

 just opposite to Lake Nyassa, from which the rapids that prohibit 

 further navigation are distant not more than 100 miles. Dr. Living- 

 stone intends to explore the whole of this lake, and, if possible, that 

 of Tanganyika, and in this way to determine their connection and the 

 line of the watershed of this region. 



Dr. Gunst has visited several unexplored parts of North Mada- 

 gascar, and found in the mountains tin ore, gold, traces of copper, 

 and abundance of copal trees. He experienced some rough treatment 

 from robbers, but was released by means of a vessel sent to his relief 

 by the French Commander of St. Mary. 



On the 22nd of May, the Anniversary Meeting of the Society was 

 held at Burlington House, when the President delivered an address, 

 and presented the medals, that of the founder to Captain Mont- 

 gomery, R.E., for his trigonometrical survey from the plains of the 

 Punjab to the Karakoram range ; that of the patron to Mr. Samuel 

 Baker, for his explorations of the interior of Africa entirely at his 

 own cost. 



Sir Eoderick Murchison gave slight sketches of the lives of 

 deceased Fellows, — the Duke of Northumberland, Captain Speke, and 

 Admiral Fitzroy. He then touched upon the progress of geo- 

 graphical science. Australia has been explored over two-thirds of its 

 surface, Cape York settled, Van Diemen's Gulf and the Northern 

 Victoria river will probably soon be in the same condition ; the 

 coast has been surveyed, and a safe passage secured from Torres 

 Straits to Queensland. It requires but little further exertion to secure 

 constant communication with these colonies by way of the Singapore and 

 the Eastern Islands. In our own possessions in America, especially 

 in the great territory of the Hudson's Bay Company, much work 

 remains to be done, and that such work is not altogether uninteresting 

 is shown by the journey of a young nobleman and his companion 

 across the Rocky Mountains to California. Central America has 

 been again brought before us by Mr. Oliphant (to whose papers we 

 have referred above). In Asia, the vast un visited empire of China 

 promises to afford means of testing the accuracy of our only pre- 

 decessors, Marco Polo, Hue, and Gabet. The Korea, once under 

 Japanese rule, and the extensive empire of Japan itself, also are 

 likely to supply material for research for some considerable time to 

 come. Dr. Livingstone's book, which is shortly to appear, will show 



