1881.] Geography and Travels. 81 
ranges of Tala-Mogongo (on the west) and Moenga (on the 
east) forming many cataracts and rapids, and receiving many 
affluents, all of which were surveyed. The most import- 
lat. Many of the affluents were previously unknown. In 
the 7th parallel of south latitude, the mountain, range of Tala- 
Mogongo cuts obliquely another system of sierras, named in the 
north, Zombo, which extends to the Congo above the Yellala 
falls. The extensive region of small lakes before mentioned is 
situated on the slopes of this latter mountain range, and the expe- 
dition charted various rivers having their origin in the range as 
also all the numerous streams of the western slope in the Luamba 
region. With regard to the natives—all belonging to the great 
Bantu division ot the Ethiopian race—the general observation 
may be made that the physical, mental and social development of 
the very varied tribes improves in the ratio of the altitude of the 
locality. The greater the altitude of his home the more perfect is 
the native, and the natives of the coast region are the most 
rachitic, the least intelligent and the most unfortunate of all. In 
the industrial arts it is also remarkable that the tribes farthest 
in the interior, and therefore most remote from European contact, 
are the most ingenious, The coast native does not manufacture 
a knife for his own use, the inhabitant of the plateau does; the 
latter even manufactures hoes, and sells them to the degraded 
coast negro, The difference is enormous between the Ganguella 
and the Maiaca, the one living at an altitude of 5500 feet, in a 
climate of 64° mean temperature, and the other at an altitude of 
1600 feet, in a mean temperature of 80°. 
The political system is very similar in all the tribes. Each has 
a chief who at times transmits his power to his successors in a 
collateral line, while at other times a chief is elected by the people. 
Polygamy is characteristic of the lowest tribes; fetishism and the 
most brutal superstition and slavery everywhere prevail. — 
he expedition collected material throughout their journey 
towards vocabularies of the many native languages. ing fur- 
nished with a very complete outfit of scientific instruments, they 
have been able to bring home an extensive series of observations 
in magnetism and meteorology as well as in all appertaining to 
their special work, the fixing of positions by astronomical and 
hypsometrical observations, and the geographical survey of the 
regions traversed. 
Cot. Preyevatsky.—Further accounts received from Col. Pre- 
jevalsky informs us, that in May last he was at Houi-de on the 
Hoang-ho. He left Sining on March 20th, and explored: the 
Yellow river for one hundred miles or more, but was unable to 
proceed further or ascertain the sources of this great river. At 
omi, where the river is 8000 feet above the sea-level, it is from 
420 to 490 feet wide. Above this place their “progress was fre- 
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