The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-27 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

An interesting meeting of this society was held
on Monday evening ; Sir RODERICK L MORCEDION, presi-
dent, in the chair.
The fleet paper, a letter from Dr. Livingstone, and his
brother Mr. Charles Livinptone, on the Lake Nyasa' in
Alvin, was read by Dr. Norton Shaw. After describing
the settlement of the Oxford and Cambridge mission, the
letter gave an account of the exploration of the Lake
Nye's& They took several mounding., the greatest
depth obtained being 696 feat. The natives were, upon
the whole, civil, and the population dense. The
exploring party was obliged to turn back, although
in sight of the Urge mountain manses to the north in
which Dr. Livingstone thinks it probable the lake
ends, in cooniquence of the land party having fled, the pro-
visions being expended, and the land desolated by the slave-
trading expeditions from the coast. The whole distance of
about 600 miles, going and coming, was accomplished in
about three months. The doctor and his party were about
to carry a small steamer, in pieces, past the Murchisoo Cata-
ract, in order to navigate the lake, which was nearly 200
miles long, with a breadth of about 50 miles.
The Second Paper, on the East African Expedition under
Captain Spoke and Grant, was then read by Mr. Spottis.
woode. It gave a statement of the difficulties the expedi-
tion had encountered in conaequeoce of a severe famine and
the petty were carried on between the natives and Arabs.
The last date was Kagwi, 30th September.lB6l, from which
Owes Captain Spoke informs Sir Roderick Murchison that he
hops in a day or two to push a-heed towards the Victoria
Nyanza lake and the Nile.
The third paper, by Mr. S. W. Baker, containing an sea
count of his explorations in Abyssinia, was then read by
Mr. F. Gallon. Mr. Baker's journey extended over a large
portion of Abyssinia, principally along the course of the
River Attars and its tributaries. He describes the whole
of the adjacent country as eminently adapted for the
growth of cotton of • superior quality, a sample of which
was exhibited.

Thehissitizirr stated theta's) peat object of Livingstone,
DOW that he hat accomplished this journey of 300 miles along
a series of cataracts, in a small boat, from the Zambesi to
the Lake Nyeem., war to take up a small steamer which the
government had placed at his disposal, with which be be-
lieved should be able to put a stop to the slave-trade from
the country to the westward. Hordes of slaves are brought
down and carried across the lake at certain passages, and
theme transported to the coast, where they are kept it the'
small recesses at the mouths of the rivers until the slave
ships are ready to take them away. The consequence is that
hundreds of these poor wretches perish ; anti Livingstone
contends that with one or two email steamers he could
do more to check the slave trade, by intercepting the
passage across the lake, than could be accomplished by
a great number of ships stationed off the coast at con-
siderable distances apart. The President, after men-
tioning that there was a communication from Mr. R.
Moffat, suggesting the employment of camels for ex-
ploring in Southern Africa, read a letter from the Foreign-
office, communicating a despatch from the British
Acting Consul-General at Alexandria, respecting the diffi.
cultic' in which Mr. Petherick and his party were placed on
the Whit* Nile ; and abating that on the pressing represen-
tations of Mr. Consul Saunders, the Eityptian government
had sent orders to the governor of the Sudan to take such
stops as might be necessary to render assistance to Mr.
Petherick. The President then called attention to the.
unexpected difficulties which had retarded the progress
of Captains SpeJte and Grant, and expressed his convic-
tion that, should they ever succeed in arriving at the
Lake Nyanza and reaching the northern end of it, there
would remain a very short distance of ground to be ex-
plored, Mr. Petherick having already ascended the
White Nile to a considerable distance towards Gonda.
koro ; and there was at the present moment a party of
three European ladies, who had gone up the river in a
steamer from Kharttm, and possibly, if Captain Spoke ever
reached his destination, theme adventurous ladies might be
the first to meet him. He also mentioned that Captain
Burton, her Majesty's consul at Fernando Po, had written
to Dr. Norton Shaw, announcing his late assent of the
Elephant Mountain.
Colonel Riony, F. 11.0.8., of Zanzibar, briefly explained
the cause of some of the difficulties which Captain Spoke's
expedition had met with from famine, rebellion, acid the
slave trade. By the last *deices a caravan of fifty men
with goods had been sent to Spoke from Zanzibar ; but it
would take at least four months before the supplies would
reach him. Colonel Rigby then gave some interesting
tails respecting the continuance of the slave trade ou the
east coast of Africa.
Colonel STEIN M.P., F.R.G.S., bore testimony to the
courage and energy displayed by Captains Spike and Great,
and said he felt assured that nothing bad been wanting on
their part to carry out their exploration successfully, and
that they had bean the victims of circumstances over which
they had no control.
Mr. Tn'u, F.R.G.S., a relative of the ladies mentioned
by the President, said it was their intention originally to
take up their residence for a time at Kartnm, and to make
explorations in different directions ; but, not being success.
ful in meeting with a suitable place of residence, they re
solved upon hiring a .tamer, which had been left at Kbar-
aim by the Viceroy's brother, who was at one time Governor
of the Suddn. From Kharttm they bad gone up the White
Nile, and by the last accounts they were at the foot of
Mount Homaya. intending to proceed to Goodokoro. They
described the country of the White Nile SI being extremely
beautiful, resembling in many respects the scenery at
Virginia Water. They expressed themselves as perfectly
safe and free from apprehension, the only drawback to their
pleasure being the continual's:sof the slave trade.

Mr. Withers, the manager of the Newport (Isle
of Wight) branch of the London and County Bank, died
suddenly yesterday.
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE MISRION TO CRETRAI
Arnica. —An enthusiastic meeting of undergraduates was
held in Cambridge, on Teasley evening, for the adoption of
steps in aid of the contemplated establishment of a boat
service, for the purpose. of the mission, on the Zambesi
and Elsire rivers, in fulfilment of an expressed wish (almost
the List) of the late bishop. The meeting was held in
Bwann's large Auction-room, which was crowded by boating
members of the various colleges. The Rev. Thomas Field,
late fellow and tutor of St. Joba's Colin', was voted to
the chair. The Bishop Designate delivered a long 'lbws
in relation to the mission generslly, more particularly to
the object of the meeting. The Rev. Professor Kingsley
also addressed the meeting at some length, after which it
was announced that Mr. Brumby, of Jesus College, had
consented to sot as president of the committee to be ap-
pointed to collect subscriptions from the boating men.
ATTRIEPTED MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER
HUSBARD.—Yesterday, at the Leeds Town Hall, a young
man of 20, named Edward Johnson Wylde, a labourer,
living in St. Mary'slane, was charged with attempting to
murder his wife. About four mouths ago the prisoner
married Ann, the daughter of Mr. Carey, of 4, Wesley-
terms, Accommodation-road, but the union appears to
have taken place without the knowledge and against the
wishes of her father, though the girl's mother was
cognisant of the fact. After the ceremony the wife
continued to reside with her parsons, her excuse being that
her husband had not been able to provide a proper home
for her. On Tuesday night, shortly after 8 o'clock, Wylde
met his wife in East Field-street, sod asked her to wean-
pony him, and live with him. The young woman refused,
saying that it was better that she should reside at pre.
sent with her parents, until her husband could provide •
suitable home for her. This reply appears to have exas-
perated the prisoner almost to frenzy, for he exclaimed,
" Well, your father won't let me come to see you, and I
am determined that no one else shall ;" and then he drew
a pistol and fired it at the poor girl's head. By the explo-
sion her bonnet was blown to pieces, and a portion of the
charge razed the back part of her head, but fortunately
without inflicting any sonata injury. Mr. Callan, surgeon,
was immediately called in to attend her, and though she
wee unable to appear in court
,yesterday, owiog to the shock
to her system. it is anticipated she will be able to attend at
the next hearing of the case. The husband absconded after
his attack, but he was apprehended early yesterday morning
by Police-coesteble Rigg. He steads remanded until the
aid of Dwanbsr.