i86o-6i PRINCE CONSORT ON MOUNTAIN RANGES 117 
Another African traveller whom Professor 
Owen met at this time was Mr. Petherick. In a 
letter to his sister Maria, March 19, 1861, he 
says : — 
‘ Last Thursday I took Consul Petherick to 
the Palace at five minutes before eleven, and Lord 
Caithness looked into the waiting-room to have a 
chat before we were called into the Prince Con- 
sort’s Library. H.R.H. ordered his last map of 
Africa down, and we drew out much curious and 
minute information from the traveller. H.R.H. 
said, that when he saw a chain of mountains 
stretching along a desert part of a map he al- 
ways suspected them to be put in for the appear- 
ance, and it is curious what masses of mountains 
do get destroyed, especially in Africa, as soon as 
travellers reach their whereabouts. The Prince 
then sent for his album of photographs. They 
include people of all countries. One was of a 1 hug, 
loo years old, who had committed thrice as many 
murders, and the most extraordinary example of 
living-skeleton humanity I ever beheld. Sir C. 
Phipps and Dr. Ruland, the new librarian, were 
of the party, which lasted an hour. 1 he problem 
of the source of the Nile, and the cause of its 
annual overflow, has been almost solved by Mr. 
Petherick, and if he is spared he will discover the 
remaining facts in his ensuing expedition. I had a 
rare audience on Friday — Jermyn Street blocked 
Op with carriages. Jenny Lind laughed when I 
