1881.] Geography and Travels. 593 
natives. Dr. Kirk, of Zanzibar, has recently passed over it for 
some forty miles in company with a naval officer. He reports 
that it is now quite safe for unarmed travelers, although but 
two or three years ago no one would have ventured in the 
neighborhood without a large escort. 
The Academy states that “ one of the objects of Mr. Jas. Stewart's 
late visit to the head of Lake Nyassa was to ascertain how far the 
mbwe lagoon cou Id b d ilable as a harbor for the mission- 
ary steamer from Livingstonia. During his investigations he made a 
curious discovery with regard to the River Rukuru, which until 
about two years ago flowed through the lagoon. He found that this 
river had changed its course, and that its former bed had silted up 
and is now even higher than the surrounding ground. This un- 
usual occurrence he accounts for in the following way: During 
the rainy season the country is under water for miles, so the Ru- 
kuru flowed in a course marked by reeds and had for its banks the 
standing water of its own overflow. The heavy sand was rolled 
down the channel from the higher ground and deposited over its 
whole length until it was raised to such a height that the current 
was forced into another channel. In further explanation it should 
be mentioned thatthe Rukuru, in the last fifteen miles of its course, 
winds through precipitous valleys and falls upwards of 2000 feet, 
washing far into the lake large quantities of blueish-gray silt.” 
road between Lake Nyassa and Tanganyika is projected. 
The Atheneum states that ‘‘ two important maps bearing upon the 
aid of Africa have been published in the JJzthetlungen. 
ond map, almost equally important, exhibits Dr. Junker’s journey 
up the Khor Baraka, from its mouth to the south of Suakin, as 
ern Palestine. It is estimated that the work will take five years 
to accomplish, Mr. Leigh Smith expects to pay another visit 
to Franz-Josef Land this summer. In an appendix to Captain 
VoL, 4r = 
