Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-04
DISCOVERY OF THE SOURCE OF THE NILE


Our attentive correspondent in Egypt has forwarded
extra Buletuo Straordnario) of the Spectators
Egizano published at Aexandria under date OF the 7tf
Of May containing full particulars than have else
where been published of the discovery OF the sources oil
the White Nile by Messrs Spoke and Grant the intrepid
English explorers The fact that such discovery had
been made was telegraphed from Alexandria to London
the time that this extra appeared and some brei
notices have appeared iu the English Journals but we are
graed be able to lay before readers this more par
cuar account in the characteristic phrase OF the original
dngs The letter containing this news as shown BY the
postmarks reached Boston in only nineteen days from
Alexandria.
From The Eevptian Spectator, Erfra-- Translation.
We are indebted TO the courtesy Of Doctor Orr for the
following communication which We hasten to lay before
readers and the public generally to the great
discovery of the source OF the Nile tor which we are De-
holden to two courageous English travellers. We promise
to Law before readers detailed information AZ soon
"KHARTuM MARCH 80, 1863
Here is great Spoke and Grant, the intrepid
English travellers overcoming all obstacles crossing
der the line reached KOndoeoro, aud thence are now ap
preaching this place. 1t seems almost dream Their
portfolios undoubtedly contain the solution Of the great
problem that has puzzled from the remotest antiquity
viz the discovery of the Of the Nile We have not as
yet spoken with them but leave Immediately on camel back
to meet them their way, and to give them an ovation
If at the following station obtain further details we VIII
hasten to communicate them.
april 81 add another line about Spoke and Grant,
knowing the immense interest that you all feel IN these
matters.
Spoke says but little for two reasons: Fret because,
like true descendant Of John Bull he is naturally tact
turn second because he is only familiar with one Ian
guage and precisely the that none OF us know any
thing about. We CLEAN but few Ineligible sentences
from of the interpreters who attempts to make us n
derstand him in species OF Arabic Patois
From his answers we learn that the Nile springs from
Lake Victoria that he Processes to have crcumnavgated
md foun IN ha avian alva
degrees ess minues from the equator IN the north
hemisphere and about the same latitude south OF the
lake which, he says the source of the BahreBad or
"They started from Zanzibar with seventy men; Of
these only seventeen remain. The number was greatly
diminished by deseron others lost by sickness and
casualties They had to fight their way to reach White
River but relate marvellous things of the subequaoral
regions and above all report large quantities OF ivory
They may be considered very fortunate to have accom-
pshed their purpose without meeting the unhappy fate OF
poor Penney.
.Now would be the time for the Egyptian Government
to make effort to anticipate others in the work OF
discovering and digging these immense treasures now
they could do it themselves with all the profit and the
glory"
Captains Spoke and Grant have discovered the
to question which has perpexed the world since the
time of Herodotus with regard to the of the
Nile" said the Father Of History more than twentythree
hundred years ago. have found among all those
with whom have conversed, whether Egyptians, Liby
ans Greeks who protested to have any knowledge eI
cept single person." whose story untrustwortay
Cesar reported to have said that he would abandon
like pursuits he might have certain hope of seeing the
sources of the Nile. Horace alludes to
"Fontium qui celat orignes
and Tbullus still fourteen hundred years ago. adds:
"Nile patsr quanam pos tie deere causa,
Aut quibus in terrs occulusse caput
1t was long since ascetained by travellers ascending
the stream of the Nile that Khartum in north at-
tude $50 81 its waters divide into two branches called
respectively the White Nile and Blue Nile. Below this
confluence the Nile flows fifteen hundred miles into the
Mediterranean and with the exception of single unim-
portant tributary it receives nowhere single drop OF
water while is fruitful of supply to numerous
works of artificial irrigation.
The sources Of the Blue Nile three springs in north
latitude 100 asceraned by the Portuguese Jesuit
Father Lobo afterwards by Bruce but those OF the
White Nile have hitherto defed discovery Browne pen
etrated far north latitude To- Lnant Bey IN 1877
quite far Mr.. Hoskius and Col Leake bsfied in
their efforts, declared that armed force would be ne
cessy to subdue the great extent OF country through
which the river passes Verne went as lar as a OF north
latitude and NJ Brun Rost nearly as high The former
was obliged TO return by reaching shoals which could not
be by his boats and he dared not leave them
The river where his explorations ceased three hun
dred aud twenty feet wde broad surrounded by
high reeds the banks Che says seem to be OF soft green
color formed by pale green aquatic plants-lac convo
yulus moss water thistles and kind OF hempn which
yellow ambac foushes husg round with luIuriaDt
deep yellow creepers" The river seemed to stretch
SSW
The latest expedition 10 this direction to discover the
source Of the Nile s that Of Capt Petherck volun
teer Of whose party our fsow-ctzen DIR. Brone, Of
Connecticut lost his life last year in the manner heretofore
recorded DIR Brownels death occurred in north latitude
I5o. The fate Of Petherck and his companions is
known.
Meanwhile, Cspts. Spoke and Grant entered the int
Or Of Africa from the eastern coast aud left Zanzibar,
September 2 1860 to prosecute discoveries 10 the nte
ror On the 18th instant we printed an account derived
from Mr. Goodhue United States Vice Consul at Zanzi
bar stating that they had last been heard from April H.
1862 "a year ago. that is) in latitude 10 80 south that
they had been thwarted 10 their progress down river
which they bad discovered and which they believed to be
the first certain branch OF the Nile.
We hear Of them at the other end OF their journey
which has been crowned with complete success 1t
pears that the adventurous travellers have indeed peDe
ated to the Of the White Nile which they fnd to
be large lake. and to this they have loyalty given the
name Of Victoria" Having made this discovery, the
little band Of explorers, reduced from seventy to seven
teen have sailed down the rverthe grandes voyage ever
known geograpber-and their approach TO Khartum 10
reported in the above letter There is obscurity
the account with regard TO the position Of the lake the
strict Of the original (Which translation faith
fully oows) would place il far north 100 Of north
latitude but previous dscoverers have followed the
river at least degrees further south, suspect that
there is inaccurscy in the report in this respect
1t has been given to the present age to solve this inter
estng geographic problem also that Of the northwest
pasage and although in neither do the discoveries
which have been made promise much practical advantage
to mankind cannot but fectate ourselves that the
domain of knowledge has been enlarged by persistent and
intelligent effort