New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-05
GEOGRtPHICAL.

n
graphical and statistica, Society HON Dr. Lvngssons,
containing an account Of his explorations 10 date
several weeks lister than She latest deied incsnatsa
that has reached England. DR.. Lvipgmons hssa tses
engaged in surveying the Sbire branch Of the zs-
bezi, and had found the river Towing, for more thsn
hundred miles, through cotton growing region. Tbs
quality Of the plant was good that DR.. Hvisgto7s
did not offer the natives any Of the American seeds
with which he had been furnishcby the British gov
eminent The health of the expeditions had been IN
Usually good, and lot single death hsd yet occurred
The letter which Is fun Of interesting deaiis will BE-
read at the Societys meeting on Thursday evening
in 1853 the Imperial Academy Of Sciences Of So.
Petersburg enttwo young Russian naturalist, Messrs
s3awerzow and Borscbtschow, on geological sn1
botanical expedition to the steppes of The krghiz
brief account of their explorations has just been pub
shed. The most remarkable result attained was the
discovery, the northeastern side Of the Ars, Of
completely marine aors consisting of numerous species
which are found in other inland body Of water.
whether salt or fresh. 1t has been known for some
time that the moIusca of the Ars il not identical with
those of the ocean, ut least very similar 10 them.
These NO facts 20 far 70 prove that the Caspian and
the Aral formed originally portion Of the great
oceanic bay.
There seems to be hope that Peter the Create
cherished idea of uniting tho Caspian and Black Seas
NAV be at length carried into effect. During the lisa
few years several partial surveys have been made al
various times but during 1859 these were carried On
upen larger scale, and with more satisfactory rests
The route adopted is through the vaies Of the KunA
and Manitch. The former stream rises in the noun
tains of the Caucasus and empties into the Arsl =
hundred miles south Of AstIachan. The later .
long, broad nd sluggish streara rising at no great
distance from the Kuma and debouching into che Den
not far from the Sea of Azov. Competent engineers
have decided that canal uniting the two seas By this
route can be constructed at comparatively small cost,
There is but one place in the almost unknown
island of New Guinea where the natives have BECOME
accustomed to the presence of European and hoham-
medan traders This place Ia Dorey, in tho northeH
mart; and Mr.. Wallace an EngGshman, who lately
resded there for some months, describes the whole
northern peninsula of New Guinea as exceedingly
ruQoed and mountainous. A continued Succession OF
Jagged and angular ranges stretches away far into the
interior; while an unvarying forest Of somewhAs
stnned appearance spreads over the whole country.
He considers that there absolutely other nhabi
tants than Papguans in the main island. During Mr..
Wallace stay st Dorey there was almost continual
rain or drizzle. When these weie absent there was
often dull hazness in the air. very different from our
usual notions Of the sunshine Of the tropics. Ths
Dutch Government has lately taken possession OF New
Guinea up to l4l deg. e. long. from Greenwich. An
sctve and exclusive trade is carried under its dag
| between that coast and the Mouccas.
j. G. Wetzstein, Prussian Consul In Damascus.
has lately communicated 10 his Government narrative
of tour made through the Provinces Of Lego and
Baran Ia ge tract Of country lying TO the so1ta ana
southeast Of Damascus. Mr.. We,zsten's path ay
through region little known even in Syria, and hs
visited numerous interesting trbee Of whose ethnoosy
he gives careful account. He visited several import
ant ruins and discovered many rptions But what
eves peculiar value to Mr.. Wetzsteins narrative 70
his geognostc and topographic observations. he sur
yeyed with minuteness the whole volcanic terrass
Of the Haman Mountains, and describes the lakes.
stream soil and geological structure of Safa, concern
ing which the utmost ignorance hae hitherto prevailed.
Mr.. Gideon Nye, jr., an intelligent merchant Of
Macao, has forwarded to the American Geographical
and Statistical Society several accurate drawings Of
the Peiho FORTS with plans of the late attack al made
on the spot They exhibit with great dstnctness the
methods adopted by the Chinese to obstruct the nay-
cation of the river.
DIR. Barth, at late meeting Of the Berlin Geo
graphical Society alluded to the forthcoming work In
three volumes lone Of which has since appeared Of
Ladslas Magyar, the Hungarian traveller, upon West-
ern Africa The field of this enthusiastic and perss-
verng travellers abors embraces the country Of Ben
guela, where he has passed some years.