1876.] . Geography and Exploration. 247 
Tae Mountains or New ZEALAND. — In the coast scenery of 
New Zealand, with its deep fiords and mountains, none of which, however, 
rise above an elevation of nine or ten thousand feet, we find some in- 
teresting similarities to the scenic features of the Pacific coast of Oregon 
and Alaska. An interesting account of the physical geography of New 
Zealand, particularly the province of Otago, is given by Messrs. Hutton 
and Ulrich in their Report on the Geology and Gold Fields of Otago. 
The sounds or fiords were in one case found to be 1728 feet in depth. 
Mr. Hutton notices the points of difference between the Alps of Switzer- 
land and those of New Zealand. “No one,” he says, “after visiting 
the Alps of New Zealand, could fail to notice two remarkable points of 
difference between these mountain regions. The one is that mountains 
with sharp, serrated summits, which are the exception in Switzerland, 
are the rule in New Zealand, and the other is that the numerous large 
waterfalls which the traveler in Switzerland sees at almost every turn 
are quite exceptional in New Zealand. A few waterfalls, but they are 
very few in comparison with Switzerland, are found in the deep fiords 
on the west coast, and a few smaller ones towards the heads of the valleys 
in the heart of the mountains, and these are nearly all. And yet the 
mountains in New Zealand are quite as rough and rugged as the Alps of 
Europe, and indeed the gorges are more numerous and deeper. There 
are also other minor points of difference.” 
GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 
CAMERON’S EXPLORATIONS IN TROPICAL AFRICA. — Cameron’s 
achievement stands quite alone. For the first time in the history of 
the world a European traveler has walked across tropical Africa from 
east to west. But Cameron has done more. This wonderful march of 
three thousand miles is but a portion of his work. He has taken such a 
series of scientific observations as will place him in the foremost rank of 
practical geographers; he has surveyed the southern half of the great 
Lake Tanganyika, has solved the problem of the course of the Congo, 
and has fixed the position of the water parting between the Congo and 
the Zambesi. 
Born in 1844, and having entered the navy in August, 1857, Lieu- 
tenant Cameron was only twenty-eight when he received his instructions 
from Sir Bartle Frere at Zanzibar, and took command of the Living- 
stone East Coast Expedition. His previous services, which qualified him 
for this important charge, are recorded at page 274 of Ocean Highways 
for December, 1872. His instructions, dated February 14, 1873, were 
to take up supplies to Dr. Livingstone, and to carry out such explora- 
tion as he might direct or advise, it being specially pointed out that the 
Completion of the survey of Lake Tanganyika was work of great im- 
portance, Accompanied by his friend and old messmate, Dr. Dillon, 
