May 24, 1858.] 
OBITUARY. — REDEN — V OGEL. 
257 
Russia. He was chief director of tlie Statistical Bureau in Vienna, 
and possessed a considerable private collection of valuable ancient 
and modem geographical maps, was a Vice-President of the recently- 
formed Imperial Geographical Society of Vienna, and died unex- 
pectedly a few months since. 
At the last Anniversary, I laid before you a brief sketch of the 
discoveries of the ardent young explorer and good astronomical 
observer Vogel, and reported the rumours of his death, but hopingly 
threw doubts upon their accuracy. Alas ! they have proved too 
true ; and since then the assassination of his faithful assistant 
Maguire, who was bringing home many geographical records, has 
cast a sad gloom over the exploration of Central Africa, and teaches 
us how grateful we ought to be for the escape of even the 
living traveller, Barth, who is now giving us so much information 
respecting those turbulent tribes. 
The death of Vogel appears to be placed beyond a doubt by the 
account of the envoy of the King of Darfur, who arrived last autumn 
on an amicable mission to the Viceroy of Egypt. He relates the 
rumours which had reached him before he left Darfur, and repeats 
their details with minuteness. Much of his account refers to the 
proceedings of Dr. Vogel’s colleagues; and as we know that what 
relates to Barth is accurate, there appear to be no grounds for 
doubting the truthfulness of the remainder, especially as the place 
where Vogel is said to have been executed by the order of the bar- 
barous King of Wadai is at no great distance from Darfur. 
Edward Vogel was the eldest son of Professor C. Vogel, Director 
of the Public School in Leipsic, where he, at an early age, exhibited 
a strong predilection for astronomy, there being a good observatory 
in that city. He afterwards completed his studies under the cele- 
brated Encke at Berlin. Concluding his academical training, he 
came to England, I believe, in 1851, and was employed in the 
observatory of Mr. Bishop until he was sought out to proceed to 
Africa early in 1853, and join Drs. Barth and Overweg. 
On the eve of his departure, when he was full of ardour arid 
hope, I made his acquaintance at the house of his patron the 
enlightened Prussian Minister, Chevalier Bunsen, when his inge- 
nuous manners, intelligent conversation, and knowledge of the 
natural history sciences, in addition to sound astronomical acquire- 
ments, led me to conclude that he was admirably qualified to carry 
out his mission, particularly in determining the geographical position 
of many places in Africa. Alas ! that he is not only taken from us, 
