-386 General Notes. [May, 
respondent of the Atheneum (February 22, 1879) says: “‘ The 
experience of M. de Brazza confirms Mr. Stanley’s description of 
the warlike character of the tribes on and near the Congo, and 
* we may fairly infer that no exploration of these regions can be 
successfully carried out except by a strong party, and by the 
occasional resort to force, in order to overcome the opposition of 
the hostile tribes.” MM. de Brazza and Ballay are now in Paris, 
where they have received many honors, including the bestowal 
of the great gold medal of the Paris Geographical Society 
Herr von Koppenfels has recently been exploring the country 
inland from Gerisco bay, in West Africa, a little to the north of 
the Gaboon. He ascended the river Muni as far as the rapids of 
the Tampuni, and traveled thence by land, apparently following 
Du Chaillu’s track. In the Crystal mountains he fell in with 
tribes absolutely unknown to Europeans. They are weak, poor 
and very inoffensive. Their country abounds in elephants and 
gorillas whose depredations are much dreaded, as the people 
appear to have no means of protecting plantations or gardens 
from their incursions. The tribes dwelling further inland are 
described as peacea 
Herr Schütt, who a been sent by the German African Society 
to explore the interior of West Africa, from Loanda, has been 
attacked and robbed by the Bengala tribe on the Quango river, 
and been obliged to turn back to M’Banza Muango, on the river 
Lui (9° S. lat.). He has prepared a tolerably correct map of the 
entire plateau between 8° and 10° S. lat, with all the numerous 
streams that flow from it. He was determined to continue his 
work, and was, when last heard from (August, 1878) preparing to 
cross ‘the Quango and open up the direct way to the north. 
Major Serpa Pinto has arrived at Pretoria, in the Transvaal, 
with eight followers, the meon of four hundred. In the Jan- 
TURALIST we mentioned his intended 
departure from Bihé for ibo Upper Zambesi on the o of May, 
1878. He telegraphs to the Portuguese government, “In con- 
cluding myjourney across Africa, I struggled with hunger, thirst, the 
natives, floods and drought. I have saved all m papers—twenty 
geographical charts, many topographical maps, meteorological 
studies, drawings and a diary of the complete exploration of the 
Upper Zambesi, with its seventy-two cataracts.” He says, accord- 
ing to the Nature, “he has discovered the secret of the Cubango, 
by which he seems to mean the river which under various names 
was fora time taken by some to be the upper course of the 
Congo.” Major Pinto’s companions, Capello and Ivens, who sep- 
arated from their leader at Bihé, have not as yet been heard from. 
The (English) Baptist Missionary Society have, according > 
the Academy, decided to despatch an expedition under Mr. T. I 
Comber, with instructions to make San Salvador, to the south of 
Yellala falls, the base of operations, and if possible to occupy 
sip eee 
Jo 
