New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-26
EXPLORATION Of TIE RIVER MGR

A bill ia before the House OF Representatives pro
vdil for On exploration of the River Niger, in Africa
1t is proposed TO ,epd out email ~Ar-stesner for the
purpose, commanded by an officer Of the Navy 1t Is
es,n ated that $25 600 will cover the expenses. The
Con mit,ee of the House to have &c ed upon ac
subio:ned letter from the Rev T. j. Bowen;
WASHINGTON, Feb 4, 1856.
DEAR SIR: Your note of yesterday has beeo brought
in tn morning. and proceed at once to Anr ~e< year
inquiries.
The extensive country Of Soudsn, or Central Afrcs,
lyi b. tn sides Of the Niger Is very di.relt, ii
mort rer pe cts, from WesSrn Africa or Guinea The
surface OF the country generally unduA'ingi the sell
m1e or less productive; the streams numerous, oler
and rocky; sod the scenery beautiful Mos, Of the
copnry open and grassy with cat ertng rees which
YES very much the appearance OF mesqui prsinee
il Western Texas So fares have seen aud heard
from the native uaveers there are NO chains OF mo
tains Of Comfortable kpgh; but short chains aud
patches Of mountainous hihs are common IN some dis
trcts and frequently meet with isolated hus some
OF Which ole immense masses of granite. arising alb
rupJy GU the plain. The elevation Of tho land, -
we proceed rom the coast, u gradual 60 rs 10 BE- IA
voisbe to the opening of roads aad yet SO rapid that
Cspt. Clapl erton frost and ice IN the Hausac
ceuntry within twelve de- grees % the esua'or.
The PEE pie Of Soudsn Of two classes called in ths
county Z" black men" and " red men," The latter
may be detcrbed woody headed indians. They are
nUms on both rides OF the Niger, amounting, PSF
baps ia all, TO tsenty thirty mDhoDs; of them
IS tile Pul.bs are Mo6su aedans bat Others mt ntioned
by Cae, like many Of the blacks in Soudan, hes
,kep..
In con e respects the SOudasese are considerably ad
vsrctd from mere barbarisu. Several rude aIts are
commonly prsc iced but the great business Of the peo
pie agriculture, IN which they aye far more skIfa and
industrious than We have suppoeed.
BeIwetn Abbeokuia and the Niger. that b. within
distance Of one hundred and sixty miles there
than dCZen large towIs come Of which are more pop
uous than Abbeoku'a. The greatest OF these in
tsoD, if Lo ia size also ia norru the capital of little
Pu].h kingdom Of the came name Here there are
many red ghf-co1red people and thousands OF men
who resd sLd write Arabic the only kind of wiring
bDosn In Souosn. But accord ny TO the people Of
Term, the largest of all African towos IL Ohwoh ak
days journey .ay one hundiod niles beyond the
Mixer. We have not Jet been able to visit that town,
osirg to the pressure Of other business.
Ssme Of the principal expJrts from Soudan if the
trade we're o, ened. would be gold, ivory gums. palm
oil, vegt table butter bides cam~ood, aud indigo of
uDrVa cd quality. Some Of the imports would be
vious KINDS OF cloth, barhets felt hSs coral beads
ano tber ornaments tob scco~hieb is used by every
body, II ale AID femaleguns and gunpow der. All tue
nil OILS ct Cenua, Aries desire to bay something aud
all, by one nesns or another could pay for it.
Al peent the principal foreign trade in the coun-
tries BY ond the ger IL carried on across the great
cese5t BY means OF camels Ste McCuoch's Com
u erciJ Dictionary a. other similar authorities
Moorish ana Arabian merchants penetrate to every
pslt OF the country, AID sometimes renain for years
uItil they have grown wealthy. saw persons Of this
Glaze at lonin, who prOessed 10 have been at Con.
s;en,nope and Alexandfia Que Of them told me be
had seeD 4 nG9 Of my county on The Mediterranean
Tie people OF WeeeYr SoOd IN trade prGc 3aly ~ the
coast If Guinea. Being sfaid to risk tuemse.vts
smobg the savsge along the coast they meet them
such is1rmedia,e points as komGsi aud Coma cad
eAeh-I &c the product Ds of Soudan for the laAafsc
tor OF civilized nations.
We may bope the: before mary years the commerce
Of Ctbrs AGica will be diverted from the paths of fe
ds sei he rests o. Guinea 10 It's apparently natural
Cutht, be Niger Ii this something soGs c4a-
LOT be dcBe, ono If the fLest countries sithin the
tropics NUT still remain cut off tom the civilized
void without a development Of ts grea. na.drI
resouIces.
IL lie sill problem, however Whistler the Niger c an
be made sysi bic for the purpose. Perhaps its na,i
CATION sy be rendered mposs bic by ra1ids; or TIE
cIi1 ate may be fatal 70 white oeple nj zht
lob murder traders the prod actions OF the
eouDtTy nay Lot be worth the 81 OF getting al them
AL lltse qaeiions sbch Botaipg oat fae,s cen Dc
Christi d ni.shn Is ID CsrI.l AiTlca was p,oaoun'ec
ohneIicai. Neagly foar Yeas c,4ruDed ia exp,s
ra,i Z. Oar lire u sigtiors COMMENCED three yosfs
ago. at Ids ~ The fartheeg b7trs of lJno The
DIS. dly.sOI 81 Soucau lie problem has ben s)sCi
Al d cur hep iD"re ihsn relied
o. % tie SO sDers IL Laird AID Oll6lfs e1pe iijJn
aeen' ed the Si,er 20 RabA 10 Eue. Win tnen, eI
piOrstioL a DdAry o6le &, and t0.y mFle
SIT, Ut 10 procsed further II their ces ~ hai osec
night psIbsps, bsye u.0orsd their boat a, $3.50 or
ksba .ro tbo5sapd uies iron he soa anl have ~
iurhso N triumph But Dov their expeiition stsn..
Recorded ss parslyZins f-i.ure
Tie MY pls 81 which VIC haze reason 70 fer OF.
sfrutt iOI is LeaY BLa. Unfortunately tie Lasle,s
SIDE ~. fs use;t oo.ery e,SBs b1, we lsaya II IN
ther tha. The river beie so rsl,i bit = q, to-
natives &C IL =. e,1i.sctk2ei. :. La :. :.