Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-01-12

The recent explorations III the interior of
Africa, which have been made chiefly by Ger
mans under British patronage. have awaken.
ed anew an interest in the geography of this
vast continent, SO large portion of which
is stll unknown. In both maritime and in
land geographical discoveries, England has
taken the cad since her ascendancy among
European nations but long before, from the
time the first glmnerins of western CONT
nent appeared, her people took deep inter-
est IN all the explorations, whether by land or
by water. In fact. we may go back even be-
You'd the period Of Columbus. and we find
this desire to seek new lands and make new
conquests, has always been predominant with
the Anglo Saxon race. This led them to
England; and long before the pilgrims sought
the new world for an asylum, adventures in
search Of wealth, and aiming at dominion,
had traced its shores from the Polar sea to the
tropics. The seventeenth and eighteenth cen.
turtles found the English traversing the ocean,
ending with the discoveries of Captain Cook.
Having thus explored every sea. they next
turned their attention to Africa, that cont.
nent being least known.
1t was III the year 1875 that Mungo. Park
was sent out on an expedition Of discovery in
tho interior OF Africa. He landed on the
senegal coast, and after penetrating the coast
to considerable extent, returned to England
len years later he was sent out again to ex
plore the river Niger, from which he never
returned. For some twenty years after, little
or nothing was done, or until about the year
1885, when public curiosity to know more of
the Tar famed Niger, led TO the expeditions
OF Clappertsn, Denhain, and Dudley. These
travellers entered the continent from the Med.
lerrnei, and going south discovered populous
KINGDOMS, with cities of from 10000 to So.
90 hahiIants, large streams, aud the great
kO tclad. The supposed fabulous Niger
ID covered, but its source, direction, and
IN, utl were still involved in mystery. These
tray eers added more to African geography
than all others together in u oderi times and
if we except the discoveries OF Bruce Of the
the sources OF the Nile, the three individuals
named accomplished more than had been done
for a thousand years before. But they all fell
victims to the climate. The brothers Lander,
one or both of whom had been servants to
Clapperton, were next sent out. They land
ed on the coast nenr Fernando Po, assembled
large stream which there discharged itself,
and reached point visited by Clapperion and
Durham, thus connecting their discoveries
and making out large portion Of the River
Niger.
In 1871, Captain Allen commanded another
expedition to the Niger, which, though full
OF Interest, was not attended with important
results. Several minor expeditions were af-
forwards made in the same district. There
was yet vast region in the interior that no
one had yet reached, and efforts were nov
made to penetrate il once more from the
north. Some followed the course OF Clapper.
ton, while others aseonded the Nile and
though several Of these travellers perlshed in
Their efforts, some very interesting discoveries
have been made. The results Of the later dis.
coveries are not before the public. Among
others is that Of a vast inland sea, covering
surface twice as great as that OF the Black
Sea, with cities containing more than roc, 900
souls. IL Is also said that the interior con-
slsts Of elevated table lands, With a salubr-
Gus climate. Should these statements provo
true, renewed efforts will be made 10 open
communication with it, inhabitants.-
At meeting OF tho Geographical Society
in New York, lost week, tho Rev. Mr.. PoaSe