Jan. 11, 1858.] REPORTS FROM THE NIGER EXPEDITION. 
99 
Dr. Barth, f.r.g.s.— It is an important circumstance that Rabba has always 
been a great centre of intercourse for the whole commerce of the Niger and 
the country to the east and west. In the time of the expedition of Captain 
Clapperton the province of Nupe or Nyffi was in a turbulent state, and the 
gallant traveller had great difficulty in traversing it in his journey to Sokotu. 
'Othman Zaki, the former governor of that province, was living in retirement 
in the Birnin Kebbi at the time of my journey, and behaved very friendly 
towards me. Now that that governor has returned from his exile, and intends 
to rebuild Rabba, it is to be hoped that Dr. Baikie will find the country in a 
better state, and that intercourse with the whole region may be now fairly 
established. It must, however, be borne in mind, that the Director of the 
Niger Expedition has to deal with two different chiefs, namely, that of Sokotu, 
and the other, almost equally powerful, who resides in Gando, four days south- 
west of the former, and to whom the provinces on the Niger especially belong. 
Even if Dr. Baikie had not lost the Dayspring, he would not have been able 
to get to Sokotu at the time, because the whole country between the Niger 
and Sokotu is quite impassable in September and October ; so that if he is 
able to resume his journey now, he will only have lost two months, as he 
could not have gone on before November. It is certainly unfavourable that 
he should have lost the whole of his presents, for without presents he will find 
a difficulty in proceeding into the interior, and those chiefs always want some 
presents, especially the people composing the court of Sokotu and Wurno ; 
but it is very favourable in this respect, that some presents have been for- 
warded by the Earl of Clarendon to 'Aliyu, the present Emeer el Mumeneen, 
who resides at Wurno, along the northern route, by way of Tripoli and the 
country of the Tawarek. 
Captain William Allen, r.n., f.r.g.s. — It is twenty-five years since I 
was in that part of the Niger alluded to. In the survey which I made of the 
river I was totally unaided, and it was, no doubt, imperfect ; nevertheless, I 
may say that the succeeding expedition under Captain Trotter was safely 
guided by it. Subsequent surveys have been made with better means and 
opportunities, therefore I cannot add any information on the subject ; but I 
am glad to find that the results of the recent ascents of the river have confirmed 
my original suggestion that the rainy season is the most favourable for navi- 
gating the Niger, that is to say, the latter end of June or the first week of 
July. The river is then beginning to rise; the dangers, especially the rocks, 
can be seen and avoided ; and in the event of a vessel grounding on a sand- 
bank, the swelling flood would soon lift her off. The climate is then more 
healthy, as the remains of decayed vegetable matter have been dissipated in 
the dry season. The two first expeditions were delayed by various causes, 
and could not enter the river until near the time of the periodical inundation, 
which is the main cause of its unhealthiness. On both occasions our crews 
were attacked by fevers on passing the delta. In the second season of 
Lander’s Expedition, 1833, we left Rabba at this time, namely, when the 
river was full and had begun to fall. This was precisely the time, to a day, 
that Dr. Baikie attempted to pass the rapids above that city, when the rocks 
were covered, the channel concealed, and the current was running with the 
greatest rapidity. 
Captain Beecroft, in the Ethiope steamer, tried this passage at a similar time, 
and found the current so strong that, although perhaps going at a greater speed, 
the vessel made no progress. The reason was, that she was opposed to an 
inclined plane, up which the paddles had not power to lift her : they only 
made their revolutions through the water. I fear this rapid will be found to 
be an impassable barrier. 
In the Admiralty chart of Dr. Baikie’s explorations, now exhibited to the 
Society, I observe a river was explored, the mouth of which I passed and laid 
