The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-14 00:00:00

SECTION E.-GEOGRAPHY AND ETHNOLOGY.

Dr. RAE, in this section yesterday, made some 'cranks
upon the Esquimanx, and referred to his intercourse with
that tribe during his explorations in search of Sir John
Franklin in the Arctic Seas.

Sir R. J. MURCHISON referred with much feeling to the
failure which had attended all the expeditions sent to that
region in search of the last navigator. Sir J. Franklin had
baen a dear friend. He (Sir R. J. Murchison) was Presi-
dent of the Royal Geographical Society when Sir John
Franklin undertook his last and fatal enterprise, and he
held the opinion (an opinion shared in by the President of
the Royal Society, by Load Ellesmere, and by many other
learned and distinguished persons) that it was the bounden
duty of the country not to leave unseaached the small area
in which the Erebus and Terror must still be frozen up. It
was well known that in those frigid regions everything
was preserved for many years without a symptom of decay,
and as the Esquimaux, even if so minded, had not the
means of breaking up the heavy timber and ironwork of
the vessels, they must still be lying within a radius of some
200 or 31) mires. If a diligent search were made in that
locality, he had no doubt but that the long-boats might be
recovered, and with them, in all probability, the records
of the expedition. He was sere the public would be inte-
rested to hear that the committee of the section of geo-
graphy and ethnology had that, day passed a resolution to
present a memorial to the First Lord of the Treasury, in
common with other learned societies, praying that the Go-
vernment would sanction another expedition to make a
renewed search for the remains of Sir John Franklin and
his gallant band. (Applause.)

RETURN JOURNEY OF DR. D. LIVINGSTONE ACROSS
ROUTHERN•AFRICA.

At tho meeting of this section this morning,

Sir RODERICK MURCHISON communicated portions of
three long and descriptive letters recently received by him
from the eminent explorer and successful missionary, Dr.
D. Livingstone, who had reached the Portuguese settle-
ment of Tete on the east, having re-traversed southern
Africa from St. Paul di Leande on the west coast. Dr.
Livingstone had, in fact, reconducted the faithful natives
whom he had converted to Christianity to their own homes,
these men having acted as his guard throughout his peri-
ions journeys. The _map originally constructed by Dr.
Livingstone, of this vast unexplored region, having deter-
mined the longitude and latitude of many places, has been
for some time in preparation by Mr. Arrowsmith, and the
letters now received will occasion certain changes in it as
respects the direction in which some of the central rivers
flow. Passing rapi fly over a number of highly interesting
details, which will be published in the volumes of the
Royal Geographical Society, Sir Roderick read those pas-
sages of the letter which confirm by actual observation
theory he (Sir R. Murchison) had formed in 1852 respect-
ing the propable physical condition of the interior of Africa
in ancient as well as in modern times, as deducted from
an examination of the geological map of the Cape colony
by Mr. Bain, end the earlier discoveries of Dr. Living-
stone, and his associates around Lake Njemi, viz , that
high crests of hard rocks constituted the Eastern and
western flanks of the great continent, through which the
rivers escape by deep transverse fissures from a compara-
tively low and fist marshy regions, intersected by a profu-
sion of rivers and lakes. [n the central region the water-
sheds are determined by slight elevations only, some of the
rivers flowing northwards into the Congo or Zaine, and
others into the Zambesi, down the banks of which the
author travelled. The chief geological features of the east-
ern and western flanking ridges of the continent are de-
scribed, the principal altitudes having been approximately
estimated by the ebullition of water. On approaching the
tract where be was once more to be in communication with
civilised beings, Dr. Livingstone gives a very striking ac-
count of the scenery around the great falls of the liver
Zernbesi, where that broad stream, after rushing over ra-
pids, is suddenly compressed into a narrow gorge, and cas-
cades over a stupendous precipice, fringed on all sides by
the richest and most pictorial vegetation. The rocky
flanking ridges are very salubrious, and while in them the
traveller and hie animals were not molested by the
Tsetse, or destructive insect, and it is suggested that
these sanatoria may extend much farther to the north.
Tne third and last letter, which was writtoo when
the author's periis and labours had terurinated,
gives a general view of the ethnology and general
habits of the various tribes of Africans, among
whom Dr. Lushingfon lived, and with whose language he
is familiar. He assigns a manifest superiority to the in-
habitants of the hilly countries, and particularly to the
Ceffre-Zuleh race. He also states that the Bible has been
nearly translated into eechuena, or the dialect of the
Bechuanas, the most regularly-developed of the, Negro
languages. " Of its capabilities (he adds) you may judge,
when I mention that the Pentateuch is fully expressed in
considerably fewer words than in the Greek Septuagint,
and in a very greatly less number than our verbose Eng-
lish version." After a sketch of the zoology and botany of
these- regions, and an account of the prevalent diseases of
the natives, Dr. Livingstone, having given the history of
Cie successive accounts narrated by the Portuguese, of their
efforts to penetrate into the intense-, modestly expressos
his belief that he is the first' Eurcepeaa who has travelled
across South Africa in the sam latitudes. He then speaks
of his intention to revisit Britain, but with the firm re-
solve to return to South Africa and. prosecute his sacred
mission, cud concludes in these words :—" I feel thankful
to God who has preserved my life, while so many who
could have done more good have been cut off. But I am
not so elated as might have been expected, for the end of
the geographical feet is but the beginnirg of the mission-
ary enterprise. Geographers Labouring to make mea bet-
ter acquainted with one another, soldiers fighting against
oppression, and sailors rescuing captives in deadly climes,
are all, as well as Missionaries, aiding iu hastening a gleri-
ous consummatii n of Gods dealings to man. In the hope
that I may yet be permitted to do some good to this poor,

long trodden-down Africa, the gentlemen over whom you
have the honour to preside will; I doubt not, cordially
join. In conclusion, Sir Roderick directed special atten-
tion to the very great merits of Dr. Livingstone, who had 11
been honoured with the gold medal of the Royal Geogra-
phical Society for having previously traversed Africa from
. .

Z.mobesi to the Portiuese city of St. Paul de Laonde,

and having adverted to the remarkable and extensive tra•
veils of Dr. Barth, in Central Africa, who had justlyre-
ceived a similar honour, as well as to the prospects of a
great exploration up the Niger, and to the lofty mountains
and large body of water to the west of Zanzibar, on the
east coast, he congratulated the assembly, which was very
numerous, on the hope, we might now rationally entertain,
of seeing civilisation extended to many tribes of Africa in
which Europeans might live in health.