The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-14
LITER TU RE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

AND EXPLORATIONS OF NILE DOUHChSs DJ
Samuel White Baker With Maps, lllustra-
tons and Portraits. London; Macmillan d
Co. Philadelphia: j. Is. Lippncott Co.
The spirit of exploration has been expended
during the last quarter of century on either
the ice-seas of the Polar regions or the bleak
deserts of tropical Africa. While America has
almost monopozed all the Northern expeditions,
Great Britain has made Africa her speciality,
and has despatched party after party to solve
the vexed question of the source of the Nile.
Bruce devoted himself with success to tracing
the Blue Nile, Speke and Grant assembled the
White branch, and by their narrative added fuel
to the flame of adventures; while Mr. Samuel
White Baker, following in their footsteps, has
penetrated further, and reached grand reser-
voir, which he terms Albert N'Yanza We have
no way of determining who Mr.. Baker is, ex-
cept for an incidental remark which informs us
that he is an English gentleman of fortune, who
shared with his wife a desire and determine
ton to explore the unsearchabe heart OF Africa
They set out together in 1861, and Judging from
his diary, his lady proved rather an aid than an
incumbIance in such an arduous undertaking.
In March Mr.. Baker commenced his expedition
with the hope of meeting the East African EX'
pedltion of Captains Speke and Grant, that
had heen sent by the English Government, via
Zanzibar, for the same great purpose. He
trusted he tells us, 'in the guidance of Divine
Providence and the good fortune that sometimes
attends tenacity of purpose" On April Is of
the year named, he sailed up the Nile from
Cairo, crossed the Nubian Desert from Korosko,
thus cutting off the western bend of the Nile,
and in seven days forced camel march again
reached the liver at Abou Hamed. Eight days.
march along the Nile brought him to Berber,
an important town on the regular caravan route
between Cairo and Khartoum. This slight ad-
vance satisfied him that he could accomplish
nothing in the interior of Africa without a
knowledge of the Arabc so he concluded to
prepare himself thoroughly for his work by de-
voting himself to the study of the language,
while spending year in examining the Nile
tributaries from the southeast as far as the
Blue Nile which river he hoped ultimately to
descend as tar as Khartoum. This purpose he
ultimately accomplished, arriving at the city
named on June IL, 1862 How the place was
governed, Mr.. Baker thus describes:-
'The Turk never improves There is an Arab
prOverb that The grass grows in the footprint
of Turk, and nothing can Oe more aptly express
sive OF the character of the nation chan this simple
adaRe. Misgovernment, monopoly, extortlOn, and
oppression are the certain accOmpaniments of
Turkish administration At great distance from
by the Nubisn deserts Khartoum affords a wide
field for the development OF Egyptian official
acter. Every official plumbers; the Governor
General extorts from ali Hdes he fills his private
pockets by throwing every conceivable obstacle IN
the way of progress, and emDarrasses every CONNER
cal movement in order 10 extort bnbes from indi.
viduals. Following the general rule of his prece-
moSo energy Attended bY eaYasse and sosers
he rides through every street of Khartoum,
abusing a the upderines for past NEGLECT, ordering
roughly cleansed; he visits th3 market place, ex-
amnes the quality of the bread at the bakers stalls
and the meat at the butchers He tests the accu-
racy of the weights and scales, fines and mprisons
the lmpostors and institutes a complete reform,
concluding his SANITARY and phi anthropic arrange.
ments by the imposition of some local taxes. The
town is comparatively sweet, the bread fair
weight and size, and the new Governor, like a new
broom, mas swept all clean. A few weeks glide
away, and the nose again recalls the savory old
times when streets were never swept, and th once
former state the false welghts usurp the place
OF honest measures, and the only permanent
and visible sign OF the new administration Is the
II was after having acquired knowledge of
Arabic that the great difficulties of the expedi-
ton began. A mutiny was instigated by the
slaVe-traders, and had it not been for the deter
mined action of MIR. Baker would have ended
unfortunately. We quote his account
al was determined not to be done, and to insist
upon the punishment OF the ringleader. accord
ingy vent towards him wIn the intention of seizing
II,
had the lmpertnence to attack me, rushing ward
with fury that was ridiculous 70 stop hrs blow,
and to knock hlm into the middle of the crowd was
not dlcult and alter ra Jd repetition of the dose,
dlsabed him, and seZng him by the throat j
called to my vakeel Saati for q rope to bind HIM,
Dut IN an instant had a crowd OF men upon me 10
rescue their leader. How the affair would nav g
ended cannot say but as the scene lay within ten
yards OF my boat, my wife, who was i'll with fever i'm
the cabin, witnessed the whole affray and sesin >
me surrounded she rushed out, and IN few minu tes
she was in the middle OF the crowd, who at thai
time were endeavorng to rescue my prisoner Her
sudden appearance had q curious effect ant
calling upon several OF the least mutinous tC
assist, she very pluckily made her way up 10 me
was for the moment evInced oy the crowd,
shouted 10 the drummerboY to beat the drum. Ii
an instant the drum beat and at the top of NV voice
ordered the men to fall In 1t IS curious how
mechanically order oDeyed If gwen at the rgh
moment even in the midst of mutinY. Two-third
of the men fell IN, and formed In line, while tn
a remainder retreated with the Tingleader EssuI
whom they led away, declaring that be was badl
hurt. The ALTAR ended in nv insisting upon a
forming In line, and upon the rinRleader bein
brought forward. In this critical moment Mr.
Baker, with great tact, came forward and implore
me to forgive him If he K ssed my hand and begge
for pardon, This compromise completely won th
men, who, al hough lew minutes before In ope
mutiny, now called upon their Tinpleader EssuF
apologize, and that ali would be right | made the
rather bitter speech and dismissed them."
Meanwhile rumors had begun to reach tt
explorers that Grant and Speke were some mil,
further up the river, and these reports wei
finally verified on February l5, in manner whic
is thus described
Suddenly, on the 10Th February, heard Il
rattle OF musketry at great distance, and
drop ping fire IRON the South. To give an i'd,
OF the moment must extract perbati7n from N
journal as written at the time. Guns firing
HiatanOas na6n fxynt, ,Nop