Geography and Travel. 633 
has been completely surveyed by a large party of officers. This 
region occupies the territory between the Faleme, Senegal, Bafing, 
and the country of Konkadugu, but its population is only 20,000. 
The divide between the Senegal and the Gambia was explored by 
the military columns which operated against the Marabout Mah- 
madu Lamine. It consists of undulating plains of small elevation, 
with stony patches at intervals, and contains five small confederated 
states, with a population of about 13,000. South of Bambuk 
Captain Oberdorf has explored the Upper Gambia to 12° S. Latitude, 
and also the upper courses of the Faleme and the Bafing, two 
important tributaries of the Senegal. Existing maps, especially as 
regards the Faleme, will have to be considerably altered. This 
river does not rise in the plateau of Timbo, but in the Koy Moun- 
tains. The Tene, hitherto regarded as the upper course of the 
Faleme, is an affluent of the Bafing. The large tributaries of the 
Senegal have some fine open reaches, but their navigability is pre- 
vented by frequent rapids and falls. Captain Oberdorf concluded 
treaties with all the tribes visited, save those of Koy. Lieutenant 
Reichemberg visited Konkadugu, Bafe, Solu, and the left bank of 
the Bafing. Valuable auriferous bearings are reported from the 
first of these districts. Captain Peroz, whose mission was directed 
southeast of that of Captain Oberdorf, surveyed the valley of the 
Milo as far as Bissandugu, and also the Bure and Upper Bafing, 
but the chief result of his efforts was the conclusion of a treaty 
with Almany Samory, by means of which the French possessions 
are extended to the banks of the N iger and the Tankisso, and the 
rench protectorate to the confines of Liberia. Lieutenant Quin- 
quandon and Dr, Tautain, who were sent to visit Great Beledugu 
and the left bank of the Niger, visited Murdia, Gumba, Segala, 
and Sokoto, and report that the soil becomes less and less fertile 
oiee the northeast, where the country is analogous to Southern 
geria. 
Evropr.—Turer Days on THE SUMMIT OF Mont BLANC.— 
A party of French meteorologists spent three days of July, 1887, on 
the summit of Mont Blanc. They were accompanied in the ascent 
y twenty-four bearers, of whom all but two deposited their burdens 
upon the summit and immediately departed. In the ascent of 
the last hill, M. M. Vallot and Richard were attacked by mountain 
sickness and did not recover for several hours. In a small in- 
dentation between the dome of the summit and the ridge by which 
it Is reached the observers pitched theirtent. During the first night 
- Vallot attempted to fix the instruments, but was driven back 
by the wind and snow. During the next day he was more 
Successful. While on the summit the health of the party was not 
het 4 good, yet numerous physiological and meteorological observa- 
‘ons were made. On July 30th a terrible thunder storm raged 
around them for several hours. ; 
