The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-01-29
SOURCE OF THE NILE-ARTEsIAN WELLS. 81

From an interesting letter in the Boston
TrdUeller, dated at Beirut, (Egypt,) 10th OF
October, we extract the following paragraphs,
to show the progress of inn rovement under the
energetic administration of the present Viceroy
! of Egypt, Mohammed Said
| Another enterprise projected by the Vice
roy, and sustained at his own expense exclu-
sively, is scientific expedition, to discover the
source of the Nile. The expedition will be
composed of scientific men of different coun-
! tries, and be conducted by young traveller
already favorably known by his African explo-
rations. From the strong influence of the
! Viceroy in London, and from the fact that the
I Government of that country is in the hands OF
another son of Mehemet Ali, it is thought the
| expedition will encounter no Instructions in
| pursuing their object, and be able to solve a
grand problem of ancient and modern geogra,
! ply, which has hitherto defied the most ardent
zeal and resolute selfdevotion. Preparations
for this enterprise are already in progress,
whose results will be awaited with much inter
est by the scientific world.
In this connection, it may be proper to add
that the Sandman Government has lately re-
ceived letter from Mr.. Brun Rollet, Vice
Consul of Sardinia at Khartum, in Nubia, dated
from the banks of the Misselad, in which he
states that, after a months exploration, he had
succeeded in accommodating the lake by which
the waters of the Misselad and the Madi COM
municate with those of the White Nile; and
| that, having found the mouth of the Misselad,
which flows into the lake, he had, under the
escort of twenty-three Egyptian soldiers, pene.
trated to the river, and assembled it to the dis.
lance of one hundred and twenty miles when
he wrote. His intention was to go up the river
as far as he possibly could, and he declares that
from its width and depth he has no doubt it is
the real Nile Mr.. Rollet's opinion on such a
subject is said to be entitled to great respect,
from the fact that he has made numerous ex
cursions up both the Blue Nile and the White
Nile. From what the natives told him, it ap-
pears that the Msselad in the rainy season
overdows an immense extent of country. AS
far as he had gone, the vegetation on the banks
was luxuriant, and the reception given him by
the natives, though not always favorable was
not hostile.
"As | may not be nearer to the Desert of
Sahara for some time to come, | will here add
that, under the direction of French General
of Algias, boring has been made in the
Desert for water, with the most complete suc.
cess. The artesian well is one hundred and
eighty feet deep, and the spring furnishes about
one thousand gallons of water per minute, which
is clear, and of an excellent quality. The en-
gineer who conducted the work exhibited great
fHSfS aHa SStafRss E9r e aayF
stood sometimes at ll5o.
Should the same process be followed in the
Desert between Mount Sinai and the Holy
Land, which is as utterly without wells and
fountains as in the days of the Israelites, though
in some places puddles of bracksh water are
found, which neither men nor animals can
drink, probably the same success would follow
and travellers be saved the necessity of carry
ing water in skins for about twenty days march,
Perhaps water could be found in the great
American Desert by the same operation, and
thus an immense waste be made inhabitable
by millions of human beings. At any rate, it
is worth while to make the experiment.
"The railroad already constructed and in
operation between Alexandria and Cairo, is
more than one hundred miles in length; ard
though the speed would fail to satisfy the 60
ahead Yankee, full day being required to
pass over it, the utility, public and private, is
incalculable. The conduct Of Said Pasha is
often vexatious to travellers for when he is
travelling, he will sometimes detain the train
for day at some depot on the route, whenever
the fit comes over him, whatever the inconve-
nience and loss to the passengers. The road
is in the process of construction from Cairo to
Suez, on the Red Sea, distance less than that
from Alexandria to Cairo, and will be compile
ted by the end of the year. The line of electric
telegraph will be extended to the same point
and at the same time, where it is intended to
connect it with the line projected to the East
Indies"