1867.] Geography. 257 



Practicable passes into this country are now being sought, and it 

 is hoped that the vast region of Chinese Turkistan will ere long 

 be in communication with our provinces. A M. Lejean has sent 

 home to the French Minister of Instruction an account of dis- 

 coveries on the Persian Gulf which are said to be most startling. 

 The particulars are not yet published. 



From Abyssinia but little news reaches us. Dr. Beke has 

 been giving a lecture on this country, with Ins view of the compli- 

 cations, which does not altogether coincide with that of some others. 

 The captives are still captives, the king says, to prevent their 

 falling into the hands of the rebels that beset him. The notices in 

 English newspapers come before this potentate, and do not 

 mitigate his peculiar temper. Mr. Eassam has contrived to send 

 secretly some private letters to this country. He states that all are 

 in good health, the consul is fettered, and he himself has a chain 

 on his leg ; but they are treated with consideration and kindness 

 by the king ! 



The information about central Africa is at present small. A 

 Dr. Ori, a Tuscan, who spent some time in the Soudan as a phy- 

 sician, is about to publish his journal. The Doctor is well acquainted 

 with many African dialects. Of Dr. Livingstone we know little 

 more than his letter to the Eoyal Geographical Society, which is 

 referred to later. He has not written again ; but Dr. Kirk had ob- 

 tained information of his having advanced some little way beyond 

 the confluence of the Kovuma and Loendi along the former river. 

 Since this a report has come through the same gentleman of the 

 death of the traveller. Time alone will show whether this is to be 

 classed with many other reported deaths, or is the sad finale of a 

 grand career. 



M. du Chaillu has published an account of his last African 

 expedition, in a work entitled ' A Journey to Ashango Land, ' 

 which deserves more than a passing notice, on account of its signi- 

 ficant bearing upon the progress of scientific exploration. M. du 

 Chaillu has learned that English readers are not easily satisfied 

 with the accounts brought home by travellers, but that, in order to 

 obtain permanent fame for the explorer, it is necessary that such 

 accounts should bear the strictest investigation. Both to the 

 general reader, and to the man of science, this book cannot fail to 

 be amusing ; to the former, because it tells of marvellous hair- 

 breadth escapes, and flatters the vanity of the civilized white by 

 showing his superiority of race, for the " Great Spirit " (as the 

 author frequently tells his readers that he was called by the poor 

 savages) with his musical boxes and scientific instruments, seems 

 to have been regarded as a kind of angel come down from heaven 

 armed with smallpox to punish and beads to reward, as it might 

 please his will and pleasure. . To the scientific reader the book, 



VOL. IV. 8 



