414 
Humblot, the French naturalist, has been commis- 
sioned by his government to investigate the botany 
and zoology of the river-basins of the Kongo, Ogowé, 
and Gaboon. The Portuguese officers, Capello and 
Ivens, have been authorized to take up their studies 
in the same region, and to prepare a chart of the 
northern part of the province of Angola, belonging to 
the basin of the Kongo. Lieut. Wissmann is about 
to return to Central Africa, where Dr. Pogge still re- 
mains, and to continue for several years systematic 
explorations in the Kongo region. A large subscrip- 
tion for the support of the work has been raised in 
Berlin from scientific and especially from commercial 
sources, and the results for science and trade will 
doubtless prove important. His compatriot, Flegel, 
after exploring the sources of the Benowé, has been 
directed to proceed in a south-easterly direction, to- 
ward the Kongo. For this purpose the German gov- 
ernment has reserved a considerable sum of money. 
He was at last reports about three hundred kilometres 
from the mouth of the Niger, at Abutchi, near Oniga. 
The Kongo question continues to form the subject in 
Europe of a host of pamphlets representing the views 
of the different parties contending for the control of 
trade on that great water-way. Most of them seem 
to carefully avoid touching the real and_ practical 
questions now at issue, and devote much space to 
considerations of a sentimental nature, growing out 
of matters a century or two old. The day for such 
reminiscences to have weight in practical politics 
would seem to have passed. 
The French continue the work of establishing 
better means of communication in upper Senegal, for 
which the Chambers have recently voted five million 
francs. Kayes, at the head of navigation on the 
Senegal River, is now quite a well-constructed, active 
little town, where two years ago there was little more 
than a desert. Above this point, only flat boats are 
available as far as Bafulabé. From this point between 
one and two hundred kilometres of road, suitable for 
light two-wheeled vehicles, have been constructed, and 
fortified posts established at intervals, which are sup- 
plied by parties of armed natives, employing in the 
work more than three thousand pack or draught ani- 
mals. The part of the railway already constructed is 
of great use in forwarding material for its extension. 
Small tramways or horse-railroads have been found of 
great use in the work of constructing the main line, 
and ten thousand kilometres of a patented form of 
tramway have been ordered for this purpose. The 
object of this at first sight extraordinary project of 
running a railway into a savage country, beside the 
protection of the rich colony of Senegal from the 
devastating incursions of the interior tribes, also in- 
cludes tapping the Niger at its head waters, and.se- 
curing the immense traffic of that great river without 
forcing a way through the pestilential swamps of its 
miasmatic delta. This is a commercial prize worth 
a round sum to secure, and in which French courage 
and enterprise will find an abundant recompense. 
From South Africa, Coillard writes that he has 
reached his old station at Leribé in Basuto-land. 
Since his previous visit, war has desolated that fine 
SCIENCE. 
[Vou IIL, No. 61. 
country, and degenerated into guerilla warfare, by | 
which the traveller suffered greatly on his journey. 
Later he proposes to strike out into the interior. — 
From equatorial Africa it is reported that Revoil, 
leaving important collections to be forwarded to Paris 
from Mogadoxo, had pushed on to Guélidi. Nothing 
has been heard from Giraud, who is following a route 
not in use by caravans; but news is shortly hoped for 
by way of Kakoma. Capt. Bloyet and his brave wife 
have arrived at Zanzibar, where he will prepare a re- 
port of his last expedition for the French committee 
of the International African association, and then 
continue his triangulation in the Usagara region, 
south-west from Zanzibar. Madam Bloyet has ac- 
companied her husband everywhere, and rendered 
valuable service, both in his collecting and exploring 
work. The labors of the missionaries in this region 
appear to be producing some effect in doing away 
with the barbarous human sacrifices due to the be- 
lief in sorcery, formerly universal. These sorcerers 
are truly the plague of Africa. 
The return of Dr. Fischer terminates one of the 
most important of recent journeys in Central Africa; 
and the publication of the results will be awaited 
with the highest interest. Joseph Thompson, who 
followed nearly the same route, was last heard from 
at Wandarobo, having suffered great hardships and 
many losses from wars waged by the cannibal and 
ferocious Massai tribe. 
Fischer attempted to pass through the Massai coun- 
try, yet untrodden by the whites, and to reach the 
reported Lake Baringo. When only six days’ march 
from the object of his journey, he was forced by over- 
whelming numbers to retrace his footsteps, and pass 
around Lake Naivasha, where a large hot-spring was | 
found by the Natron Lake near the Doego-ngai vol- 
cano, and thence, vid Angaruka, to Mont Macru. 
Among other things, two hundred and sixty species 
of birds were collected. 
Dr. Stecker has returned in good health from his 
explorations in the Galla country, south of Abyssinia, 
having mapped a large extent of country very care- 
fully and thoroughly. 
The usual tribute of noble lives has been demanded 
by the pestilential climate of Africa. Ernest Marno 
recently succumbed to fever in the upper Sudan, after 
having rendered, during fourteen years, distinguished 
services in the exploration of Central Africa. The 
unfortunate Dr. Matteucci arrived in London with 
Massari, from their recent journey across Central ~ 
Africa, undermined by fever, wrote to his mother 
that he was about to join her, and in a few hours 
was no more. Schweinfurth sends an account of the 
assassination of Sacconi in the Somali country, during © 
his attempt to reach the Wabbi River. He was cut 
to pieces by five Somalis, under circumstances almost 
identical with those attending the murder of Made- 
moiselle Adeline Tinne by the Tuaregs of Fezzan. 
His servant, who had been charged in such an event — 
to secure the record of the journey, attempted to do — 
so under cover of night, but was surprised, and bare- 
ly escaped with his life. The record was torn and ~ 
deliberately burned by a fakir of the tribe. 
