The New York Herald Newspaper, November 17, 1877, Page 3

NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1877.-TRIPLE SHEET. STANLEYS MAP OF THE CONGO OR LUALABA. Tine of the Great African River from Its Source to the Atlantic Ocean, Also of Each of Its Ohief Tributaries Draining the Southern Section of the Central African Basin the Positions of Falls and Groups of Cataracts, with the Local Names of the River Of all the geographical problems that have presented themselves on tne African continent that of the Congo River is the most remarkabic, interesting and the most recently solved. The Nile has been known’ as far south as Khartoum for very many centuries, and speculations based upon descriptions of the ceuntry around the sources of the river were made in the early centurios of the Uhbris- tian era. Indeed, it {s not woo much to be- Deve thst the finding of the great reservoirs of the Nile, the Victoria and Albort “Niyan- zag within the present quarter of a century ‘wore but the recovering of a lost knowledge regarding the origin of a river whose tower valley, was ia the eatliest times the seat of an advanced civiliza- tion, The mighty monuments of ancient Egypt— the pyramids, temples, obeiiski nd = colossal statues—were constructed of materials not found within the presont area of Lower Egypt. It is not unhkely, therefore, that the masses of stone of which they were formed. wore brought down the river from Abyssinia’ and Upper Exypt during periods of great imupdations, when the rafts were floated to or very mene the points whero tnis material was to be used. The difficulty of land transportation of theso enormous blocks of stone must have been, as it would be even now, cxtraor. dinary, so that it 1s reasonable to infer that a people go ingenious and enterprising as the old Egyptians mast have used the simplost and most effective ap. piiances and methods for the transportation of their building material. THY UNKNOWN RIVER, Without doing more than suggesting a few points bearing on the probability of a comparativoly inti- mate knowledge of the country beyond the mouth of the Blue Nile and even of the great Jakes by the Egyptians, a reconciliation of traditions and jown {sete concerning the Nile might bo effected. But of the river which commences in tho rogion of ten dogrees south latitude and thirty-thrée degroes enst longitude, amd follows a course of 2,900 miles through the contro of Equatorial Alrica and empties its waters into the Atlantic Ocean as the Congo, nothing has deca handed down by tradition. The carly explorations of the Portuguese found the mouth of this mighty river, Centuries later a missionary oxploror, the renowned Livingstone, ehanced upon its upper wators in Boarching sor the sources of tho Nile, and followed its course northward until stopped by the hostility of tho savage inhabitants But bo- tween the point whereat Livingstone abandoned the river, and that ono hundred and thirty miles or so from its mouth, neithor the length, course nor charac. ter of tho river was known to any single buman being, KILR-OR Condo? It was not unlit Livingstone bad been diseevered and rescued from deplorablo want ana ag equally miserable isolation from lis foltow ‘white men through tho herole efforts of Henry M. Stanley, the HxxaLD commission out for that purpose, that any doubt arose as to the possibility that the niver Livingstone had discovered was not anaMuent if not the main stream of the Nile. Thiwdoutedia not gain any consulerable degree of strength until! Stanley had compleved the oxpioration of the great lakes or reeorvoirs of the Nile aad established boyon? japy question the limits “4 16 Of ite source water shed. The fact thatno river of any groat size flowed into the White Nile from the westward north ot the lakes, and that tho levels of the Victoria and A)bert Niyapsasewith relation to that of the river Lusiaba discovered by Iitvingstone, wost of Tanganyika, made it impossible that the river could be a feeder of either, settled the question so far as the upper wators of the diile wore concerned. But Livingstone, upto bis death, believed tbat the Laalaba was tho Nilo, and even Stanloy—although believing in the Congo theory—was still prepared to find Living- stone’s opinion sustained whon ho left Nyangwo to follow the river's course, TANGANYIKA AND TUR LUALARA, Before referring further to the identity of the Luataba and the Congo it is necessary to point out an important fact relating to its feeders and to ostaby lish the relation toward it borne by Lako Tangan- yika, In the accompanying map, which is a correct reproduction of that which Sta: as prepared to iMustrate his great journey from Nyangwe to Em- boma on the West Const, a connecting river is shown between Lake Tanganyika and tho Iualaba, This river i# named tho Loind! or Lukoga River, and was first discovered by Cameron when he made a partial exploration of the lake. Believiog that such a vast body of water as Tanganyika must, like the Victoria and Albert Niyanzis, have an outlet to some river, he soarched along its wostern shores until he discovered the Lukuga penetrating westward, Without making a very care- fur exploration of this sroek Cameron jamped to the conclusion that It was the long sought for outiet from the lake und get It down as such on his map. Stanley, coming later and being of amore practical turn of mind, made a complete circumnavigation of Tangan- yike and also found the Lukuga River. STANLRY BORVRYS THK LUKCOA. Resolving on tho settlement of the lake drainage question he made an nctual survey of tho Lukuga, sounded {ts depth, measured the velocity and noted the direction of its current, and took into account all the surroundings of the river, so called by Cameron, The result was, as he described in his ‘letters publisbed in the Henaup, that the Lukuga was not a permanent outlet of Tanganyika, but only such when the lako waters attained an abnormal level, Ihe slight curront in the Lukuga ho found to set toward the lake, not from it, and the flow originated in a marshy district, overgrown with papyrus and other Aquatic vegetation, and which formed the tomporary reservoir of tho waters drained from the adjacent hills, AN INTERMITTENT DNAINAGR, Pursuing his oxploration further west he found that after tho limit of the papyrus swamp was reached in that direction small stream, Corresponding “with the Lokoga and called the Luinds, dramod the marsh toward the Lualaba, Henee, although the Lukuga or Luindt are mark: on Stanley's map as forming ono river draining Tan. ganyika into the Lualaba, its drainage action is inter. mittens only, and when the lake waters attain such & lovel as to carry them over the intervening swampy ‘summit of the divide. " SPECULATIONS, To necount for the presonce of this curious tmpedt- ment to tho drainage of Tanganyika through the Lukuga-Luindi River one might suppose that orig. in the Various Territories Through Which It Passes. {nally there was no such partial connection, but that two natural lines of drainage in opposite di- rections existed, and that between them intervened a ridge of clay in which numorous springs found the surface, The action of these springs in a compara- lively soft soil would be to saturate it in their im- mediate vicinity and to jnduco a gradual wearing away of the olay during seasons of heavy rains. While this process of denudation on a comparatively small scalo was progressing the level of the Iako was slowly rising, notwithstanding the loss of water by evaporation over a great face. By the timo th ke had filled up the Lukuga- Laindi ridgo was woll nigh worn down, and, beirg constantly moist, aquatic vegetation took possession of it, An extraordinary swelling ot the lake waters may thero havo caused an overflow through the pre- pared channel, and ali the charactoristics of an outlet establwirea as they appear at present, Oo the other hand 1¢ ts possible that the outlet may havo slways existed as such until somo great terrestrial upheaval or a landslide caused a mass of earth and rock to be thrown into the channel, dain- ming St up, and that afterward the process of satura. tion and wearing away may havo commenced. Any- how, thero is at prosent no connection between Tapganyika and the Lualaba through the Lakuga- Luindi Channel. COURSE OF THE LUALANA, OR COXGO, Stanley places the source ot tho main river—that Is, tho point of its flow farthest from the Atlantic Ocean—in about latitude 10 deg. south ana longitude 33 deg. east and immediately south of Lake Tanganyika, The river flows from this ag tho Chambezt into Lake Bangweolo, shown on the map und particularly referred (o in Stanley's letters, From this sheet of liow water the river flow: the Luapula to Lake Mweru, and thenco as the Lualaba to the confluence of the Laindi and the great Kama- londo River, which flows from the southern limit of tho Groat Central African Basin, in latitude 12 deg. south, through 4 series of long, narrow lakes into the Lualava, From this poimt the main rivor flows north to latitude ‘4 deg, south and by the town of Nyangwo ag the Ugnzowa, broken by several falls, and deseends in its further course toward the Kquator as the Ruarowo to ite confluence with the Ramaimt and the commencement of the first serios of cataracts, WIDENING ITS CHANNRL, At this point the river widens and crosses tno Equator, and, after passing the cataracts, becomes tho great navigable stream which ja timo will make ft one of the most important rivers in the world, From this point, also, the river commences to bend wostward and to roneive the waters of ite principal tributaries, At the cataracts it is called the Kowa, and, after receiving the Arawimt, bours that name as far as the mouth of the great tributary called tho Saukaru River, Then, bending to th athwestward as the Bengala River, it receives at tho Equator, which it again crosses, the [kelomba or Uriki, whose length is ostimated at over a thousand miles, and many other tributaries trom ‘the north. ward, all draining intoa common channel, the groat central basin of Alrica, YROM UTANZI TO THE SWA, At near the confluence with the Nkutu or Kwango Rivor the main stream again contracts in width and en- eee oe, 24 Suoisoy omltjioy usajseyy, PuD ByDT] 94} usEMza) tors tne mountatnous region of tho West Coast district, From longitude 17 deg. cast and latitude 4 deg. soutthe river passes over sixty-two cataracts and rapids of the second eories, and whose terminal falls are wore of Ntamoand Yellain It was in passing those that Pocock lost bis life. From Yellala Fall to the Atlantic the river is wide and navigable and passes through a Partly civilized region, cocupted by the Portagoose and other traders, Stanley, in a foot note to bis map, adds the following information to that given in his letters:— “Tho Congo River from its source to Cape Padron, atthe mouth, is 2,000 milos in length, Thas—1,100 miles to Nyangwe, and from Nyangwo to the sea 1,800 miles. From east longitude 16 deg. 50 min. to cast 25 dog. 50 min., north latitude 0 deg. 20 min., the great Alriean river is navigable.” LETTR#R FROM REY. ALBERT BUBHNFLT, GA- BOON, AFRICA—WHAT I8 THOUGHT OF STAN- Lrx's MISSION, Tnx Ganoox asp Conisco Mission, Eqvatowia. Wast Arnica, Ganoon, Waser Arnica, Sept. 24, 1877. Chiof Justice Darr, President of tho American Geo- graphical Society, New York :— Dran Sin—It is « long time since I have written to your society." This negieot has not been from lack of intorest in the moble work of the society, but in con- nequenee of being Jeft alone with an unusual pressure of professional Iabors, Ere this you will have neard of the arrivalon the West Const of our daring countryman, Mr. Stanley, and ot his euccossfal explorations of the intenor ot Africa, Ihave not yet seon Mr. Stanley, ashe pro- eeoded from “Cabinda’’ to St. Paut de Loando, inatend of toGaboon, But, having seen gontiemon who en- tertained him and assisted him in reaching the mouth of the Congo, when in almost a starving condition, I havo gatnered many authentic particulars which have interested us mach and lead us to belleve that the re- sultsof Mr. Stanley’s explorations will be found omi- nontly useful, Without antictpating his report, 1 may say it seoms he passed from the lake region to the in- tortor waters of the great Congo, which he traced to ite mouth. He found jt above the rapids a latge, navigable river, some seven hundred miles of more, trom its source, in perhaps two degrees north iati- tude, The Mfty-four rapids, in a distance of about fifty miles, impede continaoas navigation from its mouth to tte head waters, but this diMeulty can easily bo obviated by a camal oF railroad around the rapide, or porbaps by a road from some point on the coast to a point on the Congo abov: rapids, If tho interior regions bordering oa the Congo are found 10 bo pop- ulous and rich in valuable resources commorco will soon demana direct communication with the Upper Congo, We learn that Mr. Stanley confirms our opinion that the Ogove River, on which we nave a missionary station, conneets with the waters of the intertor Congo, bat this river, like she Congo, has « sories of rapids about two handred miles trom ite mouth that jmpedes navigation; but these rapids are fower in number and occupy a shorter space of the river than those of the Congo. If 1% shall be determined that tho Ogove furnishes the most direct highway to tho } lor Coogo the rapids on It can be more easily passed tham the more formid- able ones on the Congo, But we must walt, boping that tho Fronch expedition now on the Ogove will de- termine this important problem. The soctety will re- member that, sevoral yoars since, in an articlo read at one of its mectings, I advanced the opinion that a lake existed in the interior, a little north of the Equator, from which, porhaps, the Congo and Ogovo reootved their supplies in part This opinion was based on the reports of natives from the interior of Gaboon, who testified to having visited the western shores and seen vesvels with sails upon its waters, Mr, Stanley's explorations, will probably show that what these natives callod a lako was the Congo, or, perhaps, a widening In it, as the African rivers gen- erally widen out into broad lagoons or lakes at certain Points. So their information was not very incorrect, but as near the trath as could bo expected from un- educated and barbarous people, Wo feel much inter. ested In theso recent additions to our previous vory imperfect knowledge of the unexplored regions ot Ethiopia avd confidently anticipate a speedy unveil. Ing of all those hidden mysterious lands. Commerce, science and Christinolty ato knocking at the doors of dark Bthiopia, and they wit! certainly be forced by this triple power. ~The providence of God ts proclaiming t6t there bo light, and the light will shine, dispersing the darx- ness, which has, ta all the past, like a great cloud en- veloped this vast region. Christian missionarics at Various points betwoen the Nigor and the Congo have long been gradually feeling their way interiorward and preparing to carry Christian etvilization into the heart of Africa, as soon as the way was prepared, ‘They are now keeping pace with and a ig them. solves of all these exploring enterprises to accom. plish their philanthropic and benevolont designs. “Onward and upward, into the interior,” is the watch. word of all those missions, In a low wooks I expect Wo yisit the Ogove, whore our American mission have station, and with oyos and eara open will gathor and report to your society whatevor facts may come under my observation. Till then permit mo to re- main, very truly yours, in behaif of Africa, ALBERT BUSHNELL. AFRICAN EXPLORATION AND ITS RESULTS, BY SIR RUTMARVORD ALCOCK, K. C. m, ac [From Macmillan’s Magazine, November.) When Livingstone was driven from Kolobeng, the missionary station in the Bechuana country, by the Boors, in 1852, his house plundored and all nis belong- ings desiroyed or carried off, it was little dreamed that im sending Dim homeless with his face to the north, the first step was taken toward opening ap the vast continent beyond, Yet so it proved. By succ sive geographical explorations, continuod through lit. tle more than a quarter of acentary, tho mystery of all ages was solved, Tho sources of the Nilo were dis- covered, with tho groat lakes their feeders, whilo the Congo, fed by another group of gront Iakes a little furthersouth, bas been tracod through 116 whole course to the Atlantic As the great missionary himself records in the pretace to his first Journals, “the Boers resolved to shut up the interior and | deter. mined to open the country, and we shall see who havo been most suceessful—they or 1." He may well havo tow in after yo With some touch of pride, that an overruling power had by bis numbie instrumentality turned the short sf hted ma nee of the Boors into & means of attaining the very end they most desired to prevent, In destroying a oivilizing and Christian mission they set freo the missionary who wag destined, alone and defoncoless, to brave successfatly the dangers of the Kalahari desert—tho forest aud the Jungle with their wild beasts and still more savage tribes of natives—and only end his life when a chosen band of kindred spirits had followed his oxample in generous emulation, Not, indoed, until these had re. voaled to tho world the hidden sources of the great Egyptian river, with @ vast system of Inland seas and lakes, and agother was in the field whore he spent his Inst breath, ready to complete his glorious mission by volving the remaining problem of African geography. Stanley's latest achievements, identifying the Lualaba and Congo as one river, and tracing it ina course of more than fourteen hundred miles through the equatorial rogions to the Atiantic, has crowned the work of so many illustrious travel. lors and scientific explorors and fully realized the hopq which so long sustained the failing strength and heath of Livingstone in his lutest Journeyings. Ho was not destined to succeed himself, but to him belongs the merit of having Jed the way 80 6000 to be followed by Others younger and stronger, for whom that future glory was reserved. As we look over the mustor roll and those wna formod this heroic band pass ono by one belore the mental vision, headed by the vetoraa martyr and mise siovary™ himself, and in tho foremost rank Burton, Speke and Grant, by whom the great lakes and “the mystic fountains of the Nile’ were unveiled; Baker and Gordon following close, with the Wolte Nile and Albert Niyanza emblazoned as tue trophies of thet prowess; Cameron, who spanned Africa in bis seride, and Stanloy, with the tribute of the Congo in its vase sweep to the Atiantic, in his hand—it seoms more ike adream than aober reality that such achievements have beon crowded into a quarter of acentury aad Leon the work of a single genoration, Yot so itis, andifa feeling of doubt or incredulity should arise in any mind as to tho vastness of the Jabor bestowed and the distances traversed through pre- viously unkoown regions, both north and south of the Equator, within that brief period, by adventurous oxe plorers at the hazard of their lives, & glance at the map recently Issued by the Exploration Committee of the Royal Geographical Society will suffieo to dispok any lingering scepticiem, On this sketoh map all the Various routes taken by African travollora, singly of {a expeditions, have beon carefully marked in broad rod lines, The eflect is rather that of « railway map of a civilized country in Europe, with ite many intor. secting lines proceeding from every point of the come pass than the Itinerary of routes taken by hardy ex. plorers across vast regions of that terra incognita of whieh Dean Swilt wroto in the last contury ;— Goographersin Afro maps With savage pictures fil thelr gaps, And ove pitabie downs Pinee © Stor want of towns, Nor was the accusation wholly unfounded The ancients apparently knew littio or nothing ot Eqaatorial and Contral Africa beyond some reports and traditions of groat inland Jakos, recorded by Piolomy in thogecond century. In the days ofthe Pharaohs wo know from Herodotus that tho rulers of Egypt and Ethiopia desired in yarn to digcover the sources Of tho Nile, Tho secrotury of Minerva, in the city of Sais, had werely @ table to Te)