splendid geographical and ethnological results which were among the rewards of these daring pilgrimages will be found fully chronicled for the first time in the present volume."

SPEKE'S EXPLORATIONS IN EASTERN AFRICA.-At a recent meeting of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Capt. Burton and Capt. Speke both gave a narrative of their explora tions in Eastern Africa, which are of particular importance, as our readers are well aware, in connection with the long disputed problem of the sources of the Nile. So much interest has been manifested everywhere in this expedition that we regret that our limits will not permit us to reprint entire the discussion to which these two papers gave rise in that learned association. Sir R. I. Murchison, Col. Sykes, Mr. Macqueen, Mr. Galton, and other well known gentlemen presented their views upon this important topic, a report of which will be found in the Society's Proceedings, vol. iii, No. 6. From the same source we extract the following statement of the remarks of Capt. Speke.

"The region traversed by Captain Burton and myself is divisible into five bands. They all run parallel to the coast, and each of them is characterised by special geographical features. The first is low land between the coast range and the sea. Its breadth is about 120 miles, and its average slope not more than 2 feet per mile. Forests of gigantic trees, and tall grasses, cover its surface. The second band is the coast range of mountains. These are hills in lines and in masses, intersected by valleys, through which the rivers of the east coast find their way. This range is easily crossed, and nowhere exceeded 6000 feet, adjacent to the line of road taken by our travelers. It is capable of cultivation, though neglected, because the slaving forays to which it is subjected drive away the inhabitants. The third band reaches to Unyanyembe. It is a dry plateau, with a slight inclination toward the interior, and ranging in height between 3000 and 4400 feet. Tributary streams, running southwards to the Ruaha, intersect it. The fourth zone is a continuation of the above, but it is better watered, and is studded with granite hills. Here is the water-parting between the streams that run eastward to the Indian Ocean, and westward to the Tanganyika Lake. The Nyanza Lake is situated in this band. The fifth band is a remarkable slope, that inclines to the shores of the Tanganyika. It sinks no less than 1800 feet in 45 miles; it is exceedingly fertile, but harrassed by marauders of the Watuta tribe.

On arriving at Ujija, the party found that the only boats to be had were wretched canoes; while the troubled state of the country rendered it unsafe to explore the lake unaccompanied by a large escort. There was, however, a small sailing craft belonging to an Arab, on the other side of the lake, which would be large enough to contain the entire party; and Captain Speke started

to hire her, with seventeen savages, as a crew, and four of his own men. He first coasted to Kabogo, a bold promontory usually selected as the starting point, when the lake has to be crossed, and reached it in five days. He describes the shore as wild and beautiful, affording many convenient harbors, and requiring but a little art to make it quite a fairy abode. There were no inhabitants, but an abundance of game,-hippopotami, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, and crocodiles. The passage across the lake, a distance of 26 miles, was made rapidly and safely, and Captain Speke was cordially welcomed by the Sultan of the country on the opposite side. The owner of the sailing boat was there also, and was ready to afford every assistance; but he himself was on the point of starting on an ivory expedition 100 miles into the interior, and the crew of his sailing boat were, at the same time, his armed escort: he could not therefore spare them. What made the disappointment doubly vexatious, was that this Arab desired Captain Speke's companionship in his intended journey, and he promised the boat on his return. Had Captain Speke been unfettered by time, this would have been an excellent opportunity of farther travel. As it was, he was obliged to go back to Ujiji without the sailing boat, and proceeded with Captain Burton to a more extended exploration of the Tanganyika Lake, which lasted a whole month. The mapping of its southern portion depends on information given by this Arab.

On returning to Unyanyembe, Captain Burton's continued illness again made it necessary for Captain Speke to proceed alone to the northward to explore the Lake Nyanza. He went with thirty-three men, through a line of populous country, less visited by strangers than that which he had hitherto traveled on. There were numerous petty sovereigns who were hospitable enough but very troublesome. The view of Lake Nyanza, with its numerous islands, reminded Captain Speke of the Greek archipelago. The islands were precisely like the tops of the same hills that studded the plains he had just traveled over. In fact, the lake had the features of a flooded country rather than those of a sheet of permanent water, with well marked banks. Its water is sweet and good: those who live near it drink no other.

Captain Speke's explorations did not extend beyond its southern shores. The more northern part of his map is based on native information, especially on that of a very intelligent Arab, whom he has previously met with in Unyanyembe, and whose data, so far as the shores of the lake, were found by Captain. Speke to be remarkably correct. This Arab had traveled far along its western shores. In thirty-five long marches he reached the Kitangura river, and in twenty more marches, Kibuga, the capital of a native despot. Between these two places he crossed

about 180 rivers, of which the Kitangura and the Katanga were the largest. The former is crossed in large canoes; the latter, though much larger and broader, is crossed during the dry season by walking over lily leaves; but in the wet season it spreads out to an enormous size, and is quite unmanageable. The rainy season is very severe in these parts. No merchants have gone farther than Kibuga; but, at that place, they hear reports of a large and distant river, the Kivira, upon the banks of which the Bari people live. This river is believed by Captain Speke to be the White Nile."

Sir R. I. Murchison in reviewing the labors of the two explorers, remarked that "they have, by means of astronomical observations, fixed the position, the longitude and latitude of these two great lakes, and have shown you that whilst one is like other lakes, of which we had previously heard, situated on a great plateau, the other is situated at such an elevation that, as Captain Speke has explained to you, it may very possibly be found to feed the chief sources of the Nile. I will not now argue that difficult question, because I am quite sure there is one gentleman here, if not others, who may dispute that inference. I will, therefore, first call attention generally to the great importance of these discoveries. My friends here have not only traversed the district and furnished us with a good picture of the manners and customs of the inhabitants, but have also brought home rock specimens which enlighten us as to the fundamental features of this country; and to these rocks I will for a moment advert. Captain Burton placed before me this morning certain specimens which show me that at an elevation of upwards of 3000 feet above the sea and towards the interior there are fossilized land shells, showing that from very ancient periods. the lands have maintained their present configuration. These deposits, whether purely terrestrial or lacustrine, have been consolidated into stone, and show that the existing internal condition of Africa is that of ages long gone by, as I took the liberty of pointing out to the society some years ago, when treating of Livingstone's first explorations. Another striking feature in connection with this great zone of country is this. You will observe that our friends spoke of remarkable herds of oxen on the banks of the lake Tanganyika, and tribes of people between that vast lake and the coast range, who are a thriving, peaceful, agricultural population, whilst the adjacent districts in the north and south are frequently disturbed by wars for slave-hunting purposes. This is a great fact as indicating a broad line of route by which we may hope hereafter to establish intercourse with the interior country. There is another important fact, though I do not think Captain Speke alluded to it, namely, the absence of that great scourge of parts of southern Africa, the Tsetse fly.

With regard to the physical geography of the country, it is remarkable that all the adjacent rivers fall into the great Tanganyika lake, which was formerly supposed, on the contrary, to afford the sources of the Zambesi river. All theory, therefore, on this subject is now set at rest. Lastly, we come to the subject which is likely, as I said, to give rise to much discussion, and that is the theory upon which I think my friend Captain Speke may rest his claim to our most decided approbation. On my own part I am disposed to think that he has indicated the true southernmost source of the Nile. Now, in saying this I do not mean to deny that the great mountains flanking the lake on the east, of which a point or two only is marked on the map before us, do not afford the streams which flow into this great lake. That must probably be the case on the east, just as Captain Speke ascertained from the Arabs that the so called "Mountains of the Moon" feed the same lake from the west by other streams. You must here recollect that the same Arab sheik who gave him the information which turned out to be correct concerning the existence of the lake Tanganyika also told him of the existence of the Nyanza, which lake was found to be exactly in the position indicated. As Captain Speke has determined that this great lake Nyanza is nearly 4000 feet above the sea, it may well, indeed, be the main source of the White Nile. Everything (as far as theory goes) being in its favor, this view is farther supported when we reflect on the fact that the tropical rains cause these upland lakes and rivers to swell and burst their banks at a period which tallies very well with the rise of the Nile at Cairo. These, then, are grounds which I think must go to strengthen the belief of Captain Speke, and I may, therefore, repeat what I stated at the anniversary, that highly worthy as Captain Burton was to receive a gold medal, not only on account of this great expedition which he led, but also for his former gallant and distinguished expeditions, Captain Speke, who now sits at your Lordship's left hand, is also entitled to a gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society."

H. SCHLAGINTWEIT ON THE SALT LAKES OF THE HIMALAYAS-At a recent meeting of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Mr. H. Schlagintweit exhibited some chromo-lithographic sketches of the Himalayan Mts., and in commenting upon the remarkable erosion which takes place upon that range, he spoke as follows of the salt-lakes which form a peculiarity of that region:

"Another consequence of the erosion is the gradual drainage of fresh water lakes, or their conversion into salt water lakes. It is very characteristic for the Himalayas, and in this respect they differ essentially from most other mountain systems in the world, that hardly any fresh-water lakes now occur. The only

few lakes of any considerable extent which have been made known by Captain Strachey, Captain Speke, and Major Cunningham, as well as those we visited besides, are all salt water. But the explanation we think we must give of this phenomenon is different from the explanation formerly given. Some have thought that a raising of the country might have caused a general drainage. We think that supposition rather improbable, from the recent strata round these salt lakes being all horizontal, and the outlets of these salt lakes being in a different direction in reference to the horizon. If any raising of the country had effected the drainage of the salt lakes, the effect would have been a perfectly different one, according to the position the outlet of these lakes had in reference to the points of the horizon, a modification which is nowhere met with.

"The Tso mo Ri ri and the Tso mo Gnalari, the two great salt lakes of Rupchu and Pankong, of which drawings are presented, happen to be a good example of two large lakes, being about equally salt, with differently directed former outlets, and with quite horizontal banks of detritus and of watermarks along their circumferences. The gradual progress of the erosion of the valleys seems to us to be also the chief cause of the gradual transformation of freshwater lakes into saltwater lakes in Tibet.

"By this progressive excavation thousands of square miles, still marked as former lakes by the form of the surface, have been emptied, and the consequence is that the local evaporation could no more keep the equilibrium with the precipitation; in consequence the lakes, of which parts remained undrained on account of their greater depth, now gradually became more and more salt."

JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. We have just received the twenty-eighth volume of the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London. Like the previous parts of this series it is full of important contributions to our knowledge of the physical geography of every country where British enterprize is manifested. We have heretofore quoted from the anniversary address of the President, Sir R. I. Murchison. To many of the other articles we shall have occasion to allude. The following is a statement of the contents of the volume:

Articles-1. Journal of the North Australian Exploring Expedition; under the command of Augustus C. Gregory, Esq. (Gold Medallist, R.G.S.); with Report by Mr. Elsey on the health of the party.-2. Notes on the Physical Geography of Northwest Australia; by Mr. James S. Wilson, Geologist to the North Australian Expedition.--3. Journey from Colesberg to Steinkopf in 1854-5; by Robert Moffat, Esq., F.R.G.S., Government Surveyor at the Cape.-4. Journey from Little Namaqualand eastward, along the Orange River, the Northern Frontier of the Colony, &c.,