258 Chronicles of Science. [April, 



coupled with the newspaper controversy on Natural History sub- 

 jects between the author and Dr. Gray (sic! the former will 

 pardon us if we borrow one of his ejaculations), exhibits the shrewd, 

 adventurous traveller, driving his intellectual bargains, first abroad 

 and then at home, and rendering an unconscious service to science 

 by casting upon the public a heterogeneous mass of information 

 from which the astute critic may easily sift the dross. 



The author's " illustrious friends," Sir Eoderick Murchison and 

 Professor Owen, have served him well at home, and it is only a pity 

 that they cannot induce him to share his African glories with one 

 or more intelligent whites who would help him in the tropics in 

 his photographic, trigonometrical, astronomical, and zoological 

 labours, and would inspire confidence in much that he now writes, 

 and which, although no doubt true, is looked upon with great 

 suspicion. 



Those hairy dwarfs, for example, have done less to establish 

 our faith in the Darwinian theory than the contrasts which he 

 unconsciously draws between the gorillas, the savages, his own 

 "Commi boys," and himself! for if ever there was a complete 

 gradation from man the brute to man the reasoner, there it is. 



But we do not wish to underrate M. du Chaillu's labours. We 

 are not merely ironical sceptics. He undoubtedly brought the 

 wonderful gorilla to our doors, when it was a creature of fiction, 

 and he stirred up other travellers and traders to seek the same 

 zoological wonder with which some of our natural history museums 

 are enriched. He brought or sent home other valuable specimens, 

 has devoted his mind, as far as he was able, to the acquisition of 

 scientific knowledge ; has evidently controlled, to some extent, the 

 desire to indulge in the narration of wondrous adventures, and 

 seems to be gradually sobering down into an enterprising scientific 

 traveller. We wish him a successful future ; and next time he visits 

 Africa, we trust that he may be more fortunate in his relations 

 with the natives, and that he may not again lose his photographic 

 apparatus. 



Some time since we gave the arguments in favour of an open 

 sea towards the North Pole. Dr. J. E. J. Hayes has advanced as far 

 north as 81° 35', the most northerly land ever reached by man ; 

 and hence he beheld a wide expanse of open sea. He was thus 

 unable to continue the journey, but looks forward to making the 

 attempt afresh, with the experience gained in his last expedition. 



Proceedings of the Eoyal Geographical Society. 



: . The last letter received from Dr. Livingstone was dated 18th 

 May last, from Ngomano, at the junction of the Eovuma Eiver 

 with the Loendi. The traveller had arrived here from Milkindany 



