Geographical NotesSource: Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography,New Monthly Series, Vol. 9, No. 8 (Aug., 1887), pp. 508-513Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of BritishGeographers)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1800830 .

Accessed: 15/06/2014 17:47

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) and Wiley are collaborating withJSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and MonthlyRecord of Geography.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

( $08 )

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

Expedition to the Highlands of New Guinea.?The expedition under

preparation at Melbourne for the exploration of the Owen Stanley range, to which our President alluded in his recent Anniversary Address,* is to be placed under the command of Mr. Cuthbertson ; the Council of the Geographical Society of Victoria, who have the management of the

expedition, being in doubt whether the Rev. J. Chalniers's other engage- ments would admit of his undertaking the journey during the present ^year. Mr. Cuthbertson has had considerable experience as a surveyor in New Guinea and North Borneo, and is acquainted with the Malay language and some of the dialects of New Guinea. The objects of the

expedition are to be purely scientific, the chief aim being to ascertain the nature of the elevated land of the interior. A naturalist (Mr. Sayer) will be attached to the exploring party ̂ and the Government of Victoria have granted 1000Z. to defray the expenses.?It is reported that Mr. H. 0. Forbes is about to undertake, under the direction of the Special Commissioner of New Guinea, a journey overland direct from Hood Bay to Dyke Acland Bay, crossing the lower elevations to the south-east of Mount Owen Stanley.

Chinese Turkistan.?A correspondent of the Geographical Society of Paris has transmitted to that Society an extract of a letter from M. Bonvalot giving a brief account of the important work accomplished by Captain Grombchefski in Chinese Turkistan. This Eussian officer was charged in the year 1885 with a mission to determine the frontier line of Ferghana on the borders of Chinese Kashgaria as far as the Eussian fortress of Irketchtam. In the course of his mission the traveller

explored the whole region of Kashgaria. He has executed surveys of the routes followed by him, viz. those leading from Kashgar to Ladak, and from Ferghana to the northern border of Kashmir by the Pamir plateau. The detailed account of his journeys, of which only a limited number of

copies have been published, contains important information on the

military forces of China in that region, and also on the commerce and natural wealth of Kashgaria. Captain Grombchefski encountered

great difficulties, chiefly owing to the hostHe attitude of the Chinese.

Throughout the whole of his journey he experienced heavy rains which rendered the ordinary routes impracticable. He arrived at Kashgar on the day on which a mutiny had broken out among the Chinese soldiers, and it was only by a miracle that he escaped with his life.

New Russian Expedition into Central Asia.?An important expedi? tion started in May last from Irkutsk for the purpose of exploring the

Sayan Mountains, Lake Kossogol, and the sources of the Yenisei. Colonel Bolyr is in command, and the party includes several topo-

* ? Proceedings K.G.S.,' ante, p. 344.

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. 509

graphers and an astronomer. M. Makeroff, the geologist and naturalist, has charge of the geological part of the work. Important results to the cartography of this region are expected from the expedition.

MM. Capus and Bonvalot.?These courageous travellers have suc? ceeded in their hazardous enterprise of crossing the Pamir and Hindu Kush into British India. M. Bonvalot wrote to us from Chitral on

May 28th, stating that his party had arrived there nearly destitute of resources and were threatened to be turned back on the ground that they were Eussians. The Indian Government has since inter- vened to extricate them from their difficult position. It will be re? membered that, according to the last news * recorded by us, they were on the eve of departure from Marghilan, intending to reach British India across the plateau of the Pamir. Since then the news received in

Europe has been of a fragmentary description. It appears they left

Marghilan about the beginning of March, and travelling westwards to Ush entered the Alai Pass, which M. Bonvalot had by a march in advance found to be practicable. On the 15th March they were in

camp at Ak-Basoga at the foot of the defile of Taldyk and four days' march from Lake Kara-kul. Since then nothing had been heard of them until the news of their arrival at Chitral. It is evident that they were compelled to diverge from the route originally laid down, which after leaving Lake Kara-kul lay south-south-east to Kundjut, whereas that actually followed was to the south-west.

The French Expeditions in the interior of Senegal.?A preliminary sketch of some of the results of these expeditions, to which we reeently referred,f nas been sent to the Geographical Society of Paris by Lieut.- Colonel Gallieni, the governor of the French Possessions of the Senegal. The operations of the two military columns, which proceeded against the marabout Mahmadu Lamine at Diana, resulted in the ignominious flight of the latter. The topographical work of these detachments includes surveys of the valley of the Nieriko, the upper Gambia and the hitherto unexplored parts of the Taleme. Two special missions of officers had quitted Diana, one had surveyed the country between the Faleme and the Tankisso, the other, under Captain Oberdorf, had crossed the Gambia at Badu, and the Faleme at Erimana, and had penetrated to Dinguiray, which had never before been visited by a European. The whole region had been placed under the protectorate of France. The Uassulu mission had succeeded in concluding a most advantageous treaty with Almany Samory, by which the Niger and the Tankisso from their sources constitute the boundary between the French Sudan and the dominions of Samory, who, furthermore, has agreed to place all his possessions on the right bank of the river under French protection. The country, therefore, now under the protectorate of France, extends

* ?Proceedings R.G.S.,' ante, p. 307. * Ibid., p. 240.

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

510 GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

on the right bank of the Niger from Segu to Sierra Leone and the

Bepublic of Liberia, thus including the whole of Futa-Djallon.

Region of the Upper Niger.?Dr. G. A. Krause, to whose journeys on the Volta river we have had occasion to refer,* has within the last year accomplished an important journey in the unknown country lying in the greatf^bend of the Niger. Although unsuccessful in

carrying out his original intention of reaching Timbuktu from Salaga, he has nevertheless^achieved a great success, having traversed regions unknown before and penetrated to within 156 miles of Timbuktu. We have received two letters from the traveller, one dated October 23rd, 1886, the other 27th April, giving a brief outline of his route. He

begins by stating that he left Berlin on his present journey on the 21st March, 1886, arriving at Accra on the Gold Coast on the 22nd

April, and leaving that place for the interior on the 12th May. From

Salaga he proceeded to Woghodogho (Waga-Dugu), the chief town of the Mosi country, and travelling northwards through the provinces of Tema and Yadega, arrived at Ban, the first point within the kingdom of the Sheik Tidjani, one of the sons of El-Hadj Omar, who for a long time caused the French so much trouble in Senegal. On 15th November he reached the large town of Duensa, the centre of the salt trade, whence he made an excursion across a high plateau to the south-west for a distance of 75 miles to Ban-Djagara, the seat of Tidjani, in order to get permission to continue his journey northwards. Armed with the

necessary authority, he returned to Duensa and set out for Timbuktu on the 7th December, under the protection of the chief. On the following day, however, he received a command to return to Mosi. The farthest

point reached was 28 miles north-north-east of Duensa, about 1J days* march westward of the village of Bone, indicated on Barth's itinerary. From the first the conduct of the chief towards him was equivocal. He could have continued his journey to Timbuktu at the price of

apostasy. The country between Salaga and Mosi is a plain watered by many streams belonging to the Volta system and clothed with scattered trees. Between Mosi and Duensa there were no rivers, only depressions which are filled with water in the rainy season; and he was unable to find the sources of the Eastern Volta. Betracing his steps to Mosi, he set out from Woghodogho on 22nd January on an excursion south and south-west to Sinsani Gasari, which he calls the greatest den of thieves in the world. Thence by way of Funshi, Wa, and Bole he marched to Kintimfo in Ashantee, first visited by Captain Kirby in 1884, crossing on his route a western arm of the Volta. He eventually returned down the Volta to Salaga, where he arrived at the end of April, having exhausted all his stock of goods. He had accomplished all his explora? tion with the most limited resources, having had on landing on the

* See * Proceedings B.G.S.,' 1886, p. 722.

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. 511

Gold Coast only a little over 5Z., as sole means for the long journey to

Salaga. Unable, from lack of means, to further pursue his travels, he was about to return to Europe, which he hoped to reach about

September. He intended to return to the coast by a new route, marching for twelve days eastward to Soguede, and then south to the coast.

Throughout his travels Dr. Krause had excellent health.

The Coast Region of South-Western Africa.?The current number of Petermann's c

Mitteilungen' contains a map of the Lower Kuisip valley, in the Walfish Bay region, embodying the surveys and explora? tions made by Dr. F. M. Stapff in the course of a complete exploration of the country executed from December 1885 to May 1886. The traveller also contributes a paper dealing in detaii with the geology and physical features of the district, which forms a contribution well worthy to rank with the admirable observations of Mr. Francis Galton in the same region, thirty-seven years ago. "Great Nama Land," as Dr. Stapff terms the country, may be divided, he says, as

regards its natural formation into three parts, (1) the stony desert or Namieb in the north, (2) the valley of the Kuisip, and (3) the sandy dunes in the south. The Namieb is an extensive plain, rising with an almost imperceptible ascent from the sea until, at about 60 miles from Walfish Bay, the traveller finds himself at an elevation of nearly 2000 feet above the sea-level. The plain is broken by mountains, isolated or in small groups, whose dark crags contrast sharply with the

grey-yellow plain. Not a tree or bush interrupts the prospect of limit- less desert. These apparently isolated mountains, however, belong to chains running north-east to south-west. The rounding-off and per- foration of the cliffs is due to the wind-driven sand, The rain-water collects in pools or "vleys," and evaporating, leaves increasing deposits of salt and sand. In these and in the sandy river-beds grow deep-rooted trees. Other vegetation springs up rapidly after the rains, but soon withers. The prevailing wind is south-west, but from May to July it frequently blows from the north-east. The dunes between the Namieb and the sea-coast form a belt of sandy desert, which between the Orano-e river and the Kuisip is 100 miles broad. Dr. Stapff does not support the theory that these dunes have been formed by the sand blown inland by the south-west wind. He regards them as upheaved sea-banks, which have been moulded to their present form by the action of the wind. In the heart of the sandy desert he frequently found odd fragments of polished and perforated sea-shells, even at a height of 1000 feet above the sea-level, which may, however, have been carried thither by the sea wind. The banks of shell-fish along the route from Eiet to Fredriksdam *and round Walfish Bay clearly point to an up? heaval of the land in ancient times, which probably extended to the whole of the South-west African coast. As regards the river valley, there is good reason for supposing that the course of the Kuisip

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

512 GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

formerly ran more to the north-east, and that on its left the sandy dunes have encroached upon the river. This is no doubt to be explained by its small volume of water. Hahn's theory of an arm of the river

formerly running through the dunes to Sandfish Bay is, according to the writer, un tenable. The dying away of tree vegetation in the river

valley appears to point to a diminished flow of water. Many ancient or

partly withered ebony, wild fig, and other trees are to be seen, but no new wood. After the heavy rains the river in its lower and broader reaches overflows and bears away in its yellow flood tree-trunks and the huts of the Hottentots. The overflowing water quickly percolates the sandy dunes. The writer gives much interesting information as to the level of this water underground, which could be utilised for cultivation, as in the Algerian

" ehotts."

Meteorology in the Argentine Eepublic.?The Government of the

province of Cordova, acting on the initiative of Professor 0. Doering, has granted the necessary funds for the establishment of a network of

meteorological stations over the province. It is proposed to erect nearly forty stations. Professor Doering, who has made many valuable con? tributions to our knowledge of the meteorology of the Argentine Eepublic, has been appointed head of the service, and the private station erected and fitted up by him will form for the present the central post. Pending the arrival of the requisite instruments from

Germany, observations will not be commenced until February next. The east and extreme south of the province have hitherto remained unknown because of the lack of qualified observers in these thinly peopled districts. The scientific value of this undertaking is enhanced

by the great diversity of the positions of the stations, e. g. pampas, wooded plains, mountains, and salt lakes, and in their elevation, e. g. that of Tortugas at a height of only 240 feet, whereas Champagui peak is 9425 feet. In any case this series of meteorological stations will be the most complete and important system in South America, and the

practical results cannot fail to be of great service to geographers in

studying the climate of the country.

Patagonia.?The results of a journey made in Patagonia by Lieu? tenant A. del Castillo have been communicated to Petermann's ? Mitteil?

ungen ' (No. 7). The object of the traveller was to explore thoroughly

the stretch of country lying between the rivers Gallegos and Santa Cruz, and to survey the harbours on the Pacific coast mentioned by Captain Moyano on his last expedition. The journey, which was begun early in January last, was undertaken at the expense of the traveller and of a few private individuals. The following are some of the chief results of the expedition. A navigable waterway was found to exist between the two oceans along the Santa Cruz and canals connected therewith. In these southern districts the line of highest elevation

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

REPORT OF THE EVENING MEETINGS. 513

presents some remarkable curves, as the Cordilleras are broken by different canals. The harbours of the Gallegos pampas were ascertained to be deep, spacious, and completely sheltered; the zone of pampas lying to the east of these harbours is consequently inhabit able during the winter, and well suited for cattle. There are beds of sea-coal of incalculable value covering a belt of 20 nautical miles. The traveller ascended the Gallegos in an improvised canoe up to its source, and concludes that the river is

' navigable without difficulty at certain

seasons of the year. The course of this river was carefully determined. He ascertained that the Bio Turbio, a northern affluent of the Gallegos, rises in a ravine formed by the Latorre and Coronel Bamirez rchains

lying to the south-east of the valley of the Guerrico. He is of opinion that the Gallegos could be connected by canals with the harbours of the west coast at a comparatively small cost.

REPORT OF THE EVENING MEETINGS, SESSION 1886-7.

Fourteenth Meeting, 27th June, 1887.?General E. Strachey, r.e., President, in the Chair.

Elections.?Alfred Edward Ann, Esq.; Lieut. Arthur Goffin, k.x.k. ; Afflech Fraser, Esq.; Wm. Henry Knight, Esq.; Colonel Edward Pemberton Leach, v.c, c.b., e.e. ; James E. Mason, Esq., c.m.g. ; Wm. George Motley, Esq.; John Lambe Bigden, Esq.; George Simpson, Esq.; Benjamin Taylor, Esq.

The Jubilee Address to the Queen. The President announced that an Address to Her Majesty the Queen, on the

occasion of completing the fiftieth year of her reign, had been prepared on behalf of the Council and the Society and had been forwarded to the Home Secretary for presentation. The Secretary, Mr. Douglas Freshfield, read the Address to the meeting (vide * Proceedings,' July No,, p. 438).

The papers read were:? (1) " Preliminary account of his Mission to the Namuli Hills, East Africa." By

J. T. Last, Esq., commanding the Society's Expedition to South-east Africa. Ante, p. 467.

(2) "Journey through Yemen." By Major-General F. T. Haig. Ante, p. 479.

PBOCEEDINGS OF FOEEIGN SOCIETIES.

Geographical Society of Paris.?June 3rd, 1887: M. Jannsen, of the Institute, in the chair.?Among the works presented was a translation of a report which the author, M. Jules Popper, had read before the Argentine Geographical Institute on the expedition made under his direction in Tierra del Fuego. The paper was accompanied hy a series of 43 photographic views. The following information concerning the progress of geography in Russia was communicated hy

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:16 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions