The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-06-02
THE CRADLE OF THE SACRED WATERS
THE LOCALE OF LAKE VICTORIA.
opinions Of the Ancients on the
Source OF the Stream.
TuE HEROES OF THE FINAL ENTERPRISE.
."Peace Hath Its Triumphs No
Less than War;"
TO- r.. r..

fhs discovery or the OF the river Nile Is now
attracting great attention among the geographical and
cthes learned societies OF Europe After futile
attempts to pierce through the mystery which has
Wong surrounded this mighty stream, and after less
chan thousand years Of labor, enterprise skill and
experience the GROWING glory has been reserved for
few bold English explorers OF the nineteenth century Of
Che Christian aud the distinguished geographer,
pr Roderick Murchlsou, observes, "it Is indeed an
achievement Of which all their countrymen may well be
proud"
The Niis-caIled Nius by the ancient Romans-s an ex
ecnsve river OF Eastern Africa by the junction OF
shc bahr elAbiad (white river and tho Bahrcl Azrek
(Bus rvcr) The first OF these streams hitherto regard
Cd as tho ruo Nie generally supposed rise the
ssstern edge Of the table land Of Africa about
latitude deg SOUTH and long "a deg east. The exact
socaton OF ts source has, however, remained or
soa)ectrc up TO tho present time Expeditions sent out
~ the Pacha Of Egypt 1910 ls4e traced 1t 10 lat
eude dog AZ min. north, in longitude 80 deg IS min.
east but further navigation eruped at this point
ny projecting lodges Of rock The second
AbyssInA IN latitude 10 Geg 50 min. 25 NORTH long
fode 80 dog IS min. 80 east flows the form Of
curve rs SOUTH then west and northwest and then
socoding by various falls into the plaus of Nubia.
the Mite Inns in all ages beeu considered the greatest
Noadcf oil Egypt The acients placed its 10 the
- called bountains OF the Moon situate in the tsnh de
YET DO found TO Modern travellers have re
aucutiy started theories this Subject that
very 'ito reliance be placed upon any OF them In
Ahs limo OF Roin there we're many who ARMY declared
that tho great OF this river be found the
twelfth doefo Of north Misunderstanding on by this
means some Tour Eve hundred leagues Of the
which the ancients gave the river. One Of
these modefn ideas IL conceived in terms like
lh.se The (of the Nilc) the foot OF
sreat mountain in The kingdom Of Goam, Abyssinia,
Srom two springs eycs speak in the language of
the country the word III Arabic s!gnifyug eye snd
fountain These springs are thirty PAGES from one
other. oach az large Of wells coach wheel
Tho Nile increased by many rvules which into it,
and. sftcs passing through ethiopia in very winding
ooaese, lows al last into Egypt"
"A We DO not purpose giving detailed history OF this
ancient aud celebrated stream will sumn,ariy PISS
over tho many curious things contained in the old
authors ooncerning the foundations Of the rver--the
oaarsots which arise 10 its COURSE the Causes time
einuance aud heighth Of s nundations its canals spiral
pumps fertisng qualitiesland monuments-and pass
70 the latest and important feat which has
ssn achieved by any adventuers who have sought
% explore these waters.
Il Ia now over two years since the expedition that
has successfully accomplished It's designs out from
England with the determined resolution Of solving
IL oicest end most interesting enigma kown to
civilization Messrs. Spoke and Grant. two scientific
eaGGeh gentlemen In conjunction with Mr.. Pethorick,
Another English explorer have been tho courageous lead
srs Of this heroic enterprise. The details which we
have present Of their important investigations
oessarIy brief, and In very few supplied
With the dates Of their various movements. These how
ever. will Doubtless be given at length in due time For
the present. only know that the expedition started
pm zanzibar with seventy men. OF these only seven
y. s..b Il
h0wn Our map may here state, island or the
eest coast OF Africa, being tho metropolis Of the
Smaxm Of Nuscats possessions on that coast-a
1itustion most injurious to the health Of Euro
tssss. THIS small band Of explorers had to aghi
thcir way 10 reach White river and unfortunately thei
humber still further decreased by sickness aud de-
ssrtioo. We, however, have marvellous reports from
them OF the subequatoria regions. These viii
b fully appreciated when the chiefs Of the cxped ion
lNa give the fruit Of their researches 10 the world
Amoos other Valuable articles found in profusion i'm,
nenss Quantities OF ivory arc mentioned.
According 10 the limited explanations yet made BY
r. Spske the Nile springs from Lake Victoria which
- proesses 70 have circannavgated and found TO be
tsry extensive. despatch tho Eeypiton Spectator
dated Khsrtun, March 90 1863, summarizes the facts in
tbsss words -" Spoke and Grant, the intrepid English
trsyesrs overcoming all obstacles crossing under the
limo (os equator) reached Condo Koro Kondogoro
and thence approaching this place. II seems al
Their portfolios undoubtedly contain The 20
OF tho greatest problem that has puzzled from the
antiquity" The Condo Koro here alluded TO
place some I've degrees less mnutesJ from ilie
equator in the northern hemisphere aud about the
latitude soath Of the lake which he snys the fons
ergo the BahrelAb.id or White Nile. !, nut he IN
dsrstoct that Capt spete entered Ac1 from The eastern
coast some Two wears ago. and closed ms examination by
coming down tho Mic.
This ia substance about all the intelligence whbh has
reached us up 10 the present Bat scarcely
oysrrs,s the value OF such geoarspb'c'l and scen
tiac triumph. From the earliest days II the history
Of civilization the vsxed quo''on Of the Niles true
source bss pcrplexed mankind. Herodotrs. called ",be
Father Of History" Dodorus siculus Seneca Tbnllus,
Horace PiDy, Strabo soin and otners have al had
their theories concerning the origin aud virtues
ofths sacred stream 'with regard 20 the sources Of
the No. said Herodotns, two thousand years ego,
al have found no one among those with whom have
versed whether Egyptians, Lbysns Greeks, who pro
resed, have any knowledge Horace speaks Of Us
hidden origin and old Tisulus pcrtiusn,iy asks
Nile patsr auapsm ,c deere caus~t
Aut quibus In terrls accoiuisse capn'
And II could add anything 10 the honor and
sion In which tue hidden source q shis held
BY the sncieots would add the tradition 10
Cesar that be would give up oil warlke pursuits coud
ne ouy secure the brst view of me virgin whef'c tne
Nile
II was long since ascernncd by travellers ascend ns
ths stream q the Nile that Khsrtgm in north
tude is 81 it's waters are divided branches
a,,ed re spectiyey the White Nile and the Blue Nile BE
Iov thIs confluence the Nile flows fifteen hundred miles
into the Msderrsnear, and with the exception Of "a
unimportsnt tributary receives nowhere single droT
OF water while IL fruitful source Of supply to Dome
rous works Of artiacsl irrigation The sources Of tho
Blue Nlsthres springs, in north latitude ten desres 60
were asccrtaasd by the Portuguese Jesuit Father Loto
and afterwards by Bruce but those Of the white Nl'
have hitherto deded discovery Browne penetrated A.
Car north latitude degrees Oman, Bey, 10 1877
not quite 30 far Mr. Hoskns and Colonel ieaks bsnss
I'm their efforts, declared that armed force would b
necessary 70 subdue the great extent q country through
which The river passes cadsby tss6es TO the fact tina
for upwards u thirteen hundred miles the river rum
suasto1i sInzia trii.nfarx atxaaxn 70