British Association. 



8257 



phenomenon, and that the hypothesis of Dr. Richardson, if acted on in medical prac- 

 tice, must be attended with risk. 



Sir C. Nicholson gave a clear and succinct account, with the aid of a large map 

 from the Royal Geographical Society, of recent explorations in Australia, especially 

 those of Burke and Wills, Gregory, &c. The tide of emigration appears to be Bowing 

 northward of Queensland, as far as Cape York. 



Mr. Dunn read " Some Observations on the Psychological Differences that exist 

 among the Typical Races of Man." 



M. Jules Gerard, the famous lion-killer, read a paper in French upon an exploration 

 which he proposes shortly to make in Central Africa, from Sierra Leone to Algiers, by 

 way of Timbuctoo. M. Jules Gerard bore high testimony to the merits, as an African 

 traveller, of Mr. Oswell, who, thanks to his rifle, never found any difficulty in obtaining 

 subsistence, and whose example would stimulate him in his expedition. On leaving 

 Siena Leone he proposed to visit the source of the Niger, and also the republic 

 of Liberia. He should then make for the Kong Mountains, between which district 

 and Timbuctoo a different race of natives was found. He did not propose to travel 

 with a caravan, but with the tribes of the district. At Timbuctoo or Ain Saleh he hoped 

 to discover the papers and journals of Major Laing, the African traveller, who was 

 assassinated near Timbuctoo. M. Gerard expressed a confident belief that these papers 

 were still in existence, since the natives of the interior had almost a superstitious vene- 

 ration for written characters, and treasured the most worthless scraps until long after 

 they were legible. His route would be through a country possessing a double interest, 

 both geographical and ethnological. The journey was long and perilous, but he had 

 weighed the difficulties of the route, and confidently expected to make his way from 

 Sierra Leone to Algeria in safety. 



M. DuChaillu said the section must rejoice at this new exploration of the interior 

 of Africa, starting from the West Coast. Perhaps M. Jules Gerard would succeed in 

 finding some new species of animals which would frighten us. 



The Rev. H. B. Tristram, M.A., one of the deputation from Newcastle-on-Tyne, 

 said that he had been in a portion of the country which ML Gerard proposed to visit, 

 and had once met him in his Spain uniform in the Desert, although M. Gerard was 

 not likely to remember the circumstance. He could not but fear that M. Gerard had 

 underrated the dangers and difficulties of his exploration. The great difficulty would 

 be in getting from Timbuctoo to Ain Saleh. The tribe of Touaregs, who inhabited 

 the Great Desert, were very suspicious and lived by black mail. If they were Pagan 

 tribes M. Gerard would be safe in travelling with them. It was only where the Moslem 

 bigotry came into play that the lives of Christians were unsafe. 



M. Gerard said that Mr. Tristram was quite right. He knew the difficulties of his 

 enterprise and had studied them a long time. He believed he should find friends 

 among the native tribes in consequence of the recommendations he should procure 

 from those who traded with them. He proposed to start next month for the western 

 coast, which would be his point of departure. 



VOL. XX. 



