Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-11-04
aUnknown.n

Olauclng at the map OF Africa, un-
rolled in the school-rcem OF our boy
hood, we can but notice the frequent
repetitions of the word unknown" "
interspersed here end there. both
North and South of the Equator-in
fact central Africa, on such a map,
is one vast blank, unknown"
That such complete ignorance of
its geography and of its inhabitants,
existed among the ancients, as until
the last few years existed in our
modern schools, we think, at least,
very doubtful. From the far East,
tradition had left us, misty records,
valued but little, because then deem
ed unreliable; but the steady march
of scientific investigation, embodied
IN the indomitable perseverance, that
has pushed along African explora-
tion, has attested to a remarkable
degree, the truth Of that which we
had been led to consider simply as
legendary; and has filed up much OF
the large blank upon the map, with
rivers, cataracts, mountains, and
populous towns, inhabited by dusky
tribes as varying in social habits and
religious consciousness, as in hue.
For many centuries Africa's might
lest river, the Nile has been the point
of chief interest, flowing from no one
knew whittier, its vast volume of
waters running through arid deserts,
it not only sustained the life of, but
created Egypt. To discover its
sources, to find scientific explana-
ton for its periodic overfows, has
taxed the energy, the wealth, the life
of many daring traveller.
Speke discovered one of its highest
head lakes. Baker, Speke, Grant
and others have interlined the Afri-
can map with tributary streams to
the mig hty river, and the boundaries
of savage negro tribes. Hardly have
their additions been added to the
map, when Baker proclaims to the
world the discovery of the mighty
reservoir of the Nile-the Great
Albert Lake, to which all the waters
of Speke's lake are subsidiary; open
ing up the vast system of drainage,
which forever puts to rest the vexed
question of Egypt's fertilizer and
African Typography from GondolSoro
to the Albert Nyanza.
Yet again the scientific world is
startled by another claimant--our
home and foreign papers assert that
DR.. Livingston has been heard from
even as one risen from the dead
claiming the discovery of the Nile
sources. Having the geographical
outlines as presented by Speke and
Baker, of which in large part Living
ston must be ignorant, we can reason
ably conclude that the river source
which the doctor regards as ancient
Nilus, may be one Of the large feed
ers to the Albert Nyanza, or the
Great Basin, receiving the waters
from the vast mountain range of
Equatorial Africa, as well as the
Victoria lake, and its tributaries dis
covered by Speke.
1t is however an interesting topic,
and we look forward with intense in
terest for the narration of Living
ston's much heightened explorations.
and are satisfied that he will fill, with
reliable data, yet another large space
in the great blank of our map of
Africa
To such of our readers who are, or
may become interested in the present
or the future of the Land of Ham,
we confidently recommend Living
ston's "Zambesi'' Expedition, Spekes
"Sources of the Nile," and Bakers
"Albert Nyanza," and the "Niles
Abyssinian Tributaries the re-
positaries of much valuable informa-
ton relating to this, until recently,
unknown land.