New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-13
AFRICAN DISCO VERY.


AFRICAN DISCOVERY.
From The London AthenGan.
On tie first of December 1854 it fell to the share of
DR. Barth-he who had already been believed dead
To meet in 'very good health and spirits Dr. 'oge-
10 sec once more the face of a European, and grasp
d hand of eountryman who had been sent to loln
lin. As only few preliminary hasty lines from DR.
Vocel written in pencil, have come 10 hand, the par
ticulaIs of this event have not yet transpret; but 1t
may easily be conceived what II must have been to
Or. Barb. II was exactly six years since he LETT
Europe i'll company with Mr. Richardson and Dr. over
veg; and since he decease of the latter on the 9th
Of September, 1e52 not only had HIS communications
with Europe been all but entirely cut OF, but he had
indeed been isolated from the civilized world aud left
10 battle with manifold hardships and dangers.
Dr. yose writes he intended TO proceed as speedily
as possible TO Yakoba aud Adamaue in which plan he
Sons te have been encouraged by sumo acceptable
ana POI ant passN os, IN the shape oil letters oil
recommendation, from the powerful feiata Chief at
Sokoto which DIR. Barth had brought with bim and
handed to his cOuntryman. DR.. Nogel had not re-
eeived ony communication from Tripoh or Mlrzuk
since the 18th of February, 1854, in consequence of
the state of the Saharan countries, which seem again
involved in general war ana bloodshed.
Letters from Dr. Barth himself have come to my
hands which though written before his meeting with
Dr. Voge, are OF great interest, as they contain the
fret news reslectng his journey from iluouktu BACK
TO Sudan and the first positive information ever re-
ceiyed from European traveller Of the River howara
between that place and it, lower course.
II nppears that DIR. Barh had been detained at or
near imbuktu several months beyond the date or nus
last letters DISPATCHED from that region, namely the
23d of March, 1854, between which date and the time
OF lis arrival at Kano which took place on the 18th
Of October last, nearly seven months intervene. Dr.
Barth himself says " Amer pr9taeteaf stay o.
cert" es it justly called by the naves-i retraced
"ny steps eastward along the shores OF that magniii-
"cont river which tho undaunied Scotchman Mango
Park descended about fifty years since fighting his
IL a. oh manned luaFlcks
"and Suduns-lost labor 10 science his journal having
"porished with him ;-while went along reconcing
"and beiIendnc these very people, and obtaining
"full security from their chiefs for any English visit
:" ING their territories, whether by land or water"
Thus DR.. Barb has been able to realize his great
wish, namely to trace this river between Timbuktu
AID Say which later place IL situated IN about ~
10 rorih le and - east long. Greenwich. This its
middle course seems everywhere nayigable and en-
livened with large fleetsits shores densey inhabited
iv TcoI le who received and treated Dr. Barth most
kindly, and imriolod him 10 stay win them altogether
or 10 return soon in English ship. They learned
from him with eetoDishment as 10 whence the river
which forms the bnsis of their existence and wealth
comes. and where It terminates.
Dr. Barb oil udes TO q lar map of tho river drawn
by him. which he had sent to the Foreign Office. lie
las aso transmitted with the present letters some OF
a former date, which had been dispatched 10y him
willie on bis way TO Timbuktu but Which, u he found
On his return Sudan had not been forwarded prob
ably hecause their envelopes and addresses had been
LOST These letters are dated DOre In Lbtako 10th
"July. 1859" which place is about midway between
sokoio end Tnnbukiu lsec map in my "Geograph-
"scle Mttheilungen," psrt l:b OF IN lat. IA so
north, and close uIon the meridian OF Greenwich;
ard they contain full account respecting that region
which was entirely unknown before.
Libtako forms portion of the very extensive Eel,
latu dominions and is very important commercial
pont The principal article OF trade is the salt OF Ia
odenI which is brought thither by the Arabs of Tim
buktu, while the Tuancks bring corn and butter the
PEOPLE Of Mosi their celebrated doDkeys and their
Oh 10 anHQ
large peculiar kind of guro-nuts. The inhabitants OF
the country supply sweet and sour milk; and their
manufactures consist chiefly OF very handsome and
cheap sbawls made Of cotton and wool and OF various
colors The market at DOIe the chief place Of Lab
teko, is held every day. Cewries are almost the
sole medium of Interchange.
Libtako occupies an elevated, dreary plain, devoid
Of tIess ard shrubs. and suffering from the want OF
rain. Granite prOtrudes in many places out OF the
soil. DR.. Barih made many Inquiries respecting the
town OF Adafudia, reached by>Mr. Duncan, and
which, according TO the position assigned to by tina,
traveller ought be within one hundred geoSrsphical
miles irUm Libtako-but In VAN; he could near
nothing whatever of il. Though the country was IN
state OF anarchy wien DR. Barn passed tn ough IT. ne
did not suffer on that account bur rather from tue too
tSnlied mnnner in which he Yves received everywhere
the inhabants docking fron ell quarters to receive
Lis bes iIg. The Arabs looked upon INN as no COM
mon CLrsiian-Owing TO the Information ne possessed
Of topics specially interesting TO themselves and to
the fact OF his coming from the East. The IIllahss
lad christened bin :" M0dibo," BY which name he
universally known in those countries
Ii was near Libtako where Barth was 80 fortunate
~ 10 make The acquaintance OF one Of the followers
Of the Sheikh Ct Bakay-the Pope Of Timbuktu-who
Subsequently b., ane bis best friend and greatest
ten6c'er. This person exercises an influence over
very exclusive region, nearly far Sokoo IN the
east: ind lie may be said TO have created OF Imbuk
ia . kind Of African Rome-the center OF the power
Of Ielam.
Tie rec ion between Libtsko in the west and the
River kowara here called Tea, Say or Mayo in tho
east is occupied by territories belonging to the large
country OF Gurma only the northern part OF which
telorgs to TIE Fellates The language OF Gurma has
few words in common with that Of Benin. Within
Gurrnn are veious rivers, all tributaries of the Kow
Bra-;Eo erc6s, being the SiIbG, which Barth found
twelve feet ceep the beginning OF July, and which
he had TO crOss by of immense bundles OF reeds
fastened together as boats entirely wanting. Inc
valley of the SiIbc s very il-famed ~ being most ae
structiye 10 all kinds of cattle and horses Inc sou
| along the course of the river swerms win D'acA
| worms. -. from
DR. Barths letters contain interesting e1Irec L. ~
| lie "Terikh el Sudan" important "oiA o' ~~
| history Of Sudan. hitherto unknown. -, n, p.-,h
On his arrival at Kano in OetoDer ies', LLe.s'
| instead Of finding letters and sappnssD - .;,
received information of the rumor u Us Er,s
| been srread in Sudan, and even ieeon.e A-Iopo,
49,, it;b-not Enowng exactly the orgle and cir
@uou. ~ with THE felt very and
as. ,.Ie lie absence Of all needful supplies
- ~; 80 ,,rest straits and Inconvenience. Happily
~ -. ne know he subsequently got over His
Ior,c;ro N re ach Europe knew 10 bounds as be de-
.,,e hat the being exposed to another rainy season
The SIXTH or to remain much longer without the re-