The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-04

and TO determine the nature of the whole
watershed of this part Of Africa How much
he had done towards this in July of last
year, the interesting despatch to Lord Claren
don, which was read before the Geographical
Society on Monday evening, clearly shows,
and there seems TO he little doubt that
during the sixteen months that have elapsed
since he wrote, he has completed the great
work which he undertook.
At the time of writing his despatch DIR.
LiviD Ngone had not reached the Tanganyika,
but hNhad found chain of lakes to the south
whict drained towards the north and, as he
believed, through the Tanganyika into the
Nile. These lakes are fed bynumerous rivers
of considerable size, and should they prove
TO be the head-waters of the Nile, we must
look for the sources Of the mighty river at
least 400 miles south of the most southerly
point of the Victoria Nyanza. The river
Chambese seems to connect these lakes with
each other and with the TanganyilIa, and the
whole volume of water which they contain in
all probability finds it's way into the Nile. We
must wait for further information before we
can say positively that these lakes and rivers
are within the basin of the Nile, but there is
every probability that the opinions
which have been expressed in favor
of this hypothesis will soon be verified
Meanwhile we cannot but feel extremely
interested i'll the descriptions which Dr.
Livingstone gives of the places which he has
visited, and which prove that in the region
now opened up for the first time there are
spots as beautiful and as blessed by nature as
anything that we can imagine. Speaking of
Lake Liemba, one of the chain which he has
discovered Dr. Livingstone tells us that lit
lies in a hollow, with precipltous sides 200O
feet down. it is extremely beautiful sides.
top, and bottom being covered with trees and
other vegetation. Elephants, buifaloes, and
antelopes feed on the steep slopes, while hip
popotami, crocodiles, and fish swarm in the
waters. Guns being unknown, tho elephants,
unless sometimes deceived into pitfall, have
it all their own way. 1t is rs perfect a natural
paradise as Henophon could have desired. On
two rocky islands men till the land, rear
goats and catch fish; the villages ashore are
embowered in the palm-oil palms of the
West Coast of Africa" Livingstone present
journey has only confirmed what was brought
to light in his previous travels viz.:-That
instead of the interior of Africa being O sandy
desert, as was formerly Thought, it is really
rich in vegetation, and studded with lakes.
But there is another fact which DR.. Living
stone has discovered i'll connection with Lake
Liemba, and which goes far towards out
weighing all others III importance. The alti-
tude of this lake the Doctor ascertained to be
2Si0 feet, thus showing that Spoke observa-
was probably right in saying Spoke had made
a mistake of about 1000 feet in his calcula-
tions. But we must wait until DR.. Living
stone comes home for the detailed iuforina-
tion which will enable geographers to pro-
nounce their final judgment on the Nile ques-
tion. If the great explorer traces the lake
system which he has discovered into the
Tanganyika, and should find, on arriving at
Ujji, the stores and medicines sent there for
his use, he will proceed to the northern end
of the lake, and perhaps follow its afliuent.
Sir Roderick Murchison thinks he will return
to Zanzibar after having ascertained the
direction of the drainage Of the Tanganyika
but Captain Sherard Osborn considers that he
will probably follow the outlet and see for
himself whether it flows into the Albert
N'yanza, and thence into the Nile. In the
latter case, DR. Livingtone would, in all like
lhood, meet Sir Samuel Baker, and the result
of this meeting would be to clear up the great
mystery which, for centuries, has shrouded
the head-waters of the Nile.