exx 
APPENDIX. No. IV. 
allowed to express a hope that this distioguished river, which hitherto has 
been only known as cue of the greatest marts of the Slave Trade, may at 
length be rendered conducive to objects of civihzation and science; and that 
some use will now be made of this great iulet into Africa, for the purpose of 
exploring a part of that continent which as yet is entirely unknown ; or, at 
least, of obtaining more complete and authentic information relative to the 
Congo itself, which must unquestionably be considered as a very curious and 
interesting subject of enquiry. Such an enterprise, according to tlie opinion 
of JVlr. Maxwell, would not be attended with much difHculty. In a letter to 
Mr. Park, dated Oct. 12, 1804, alluding to the subject of the Congo, he 
speaks of an intention which he had formed some lime prior to Park's dis- 
coveries, of exploring that river. His scheme was to carry out with him 
from England six supernumerary boats, well adapted for rowing and sailing ; 
each being of such a size as to be easily carried by thirty people, and trans^ 
ported across several cataracts, with which the course of the river is known 
to be impeded. On his arrival at the coast, he meant to hire about thirty or 
forty black rowers, and to sail up the Congo with proper arms, provisions, 
and merchandize, in the month of May (the dry season south of the equator) 
p.337>) shewing the proportional length of some of the most considerable rivers already 
known, may be useful to the reader on the present occasion. 
EUROPE. ASXA CONTINUED. 
Thames - . . i Oby - 10|- 
Rhine - - - 5l Araoor - - - 11 
Danube - - 7 Lena - - - Hi- 
Wolga - - - 9i Hoanho (China) - 13|- 
Kian Keu - - 15- 
ASIA. 
Indus . - - 6| AFRICA. 
Euphrates - - - 8| Nile - - - 12| 
Ganges - - -9k 
Burrampooter - - 9f America. 
Ava - - - 9| Mississipi - - - 8 
Jennisca - - - 10 Amazon - 15f 
It must be observed, however, that the magnitude of a river depends much less upon 
the length of its course than upon the number ot auxiliary streams which fall into it. 
It is this latter circumstance, which occasions the vast size of the Ganges, compared, for 
example, with the Nile ; although the course of the latter is so much longer. Rivers 
not fed by auxiliary streams, may even become smaller in consequence of the length 
of their course. The editor is indebted for these observations to Major Rennell. 
