The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-03
DeTOe and the Sources Ofthe Nile

Dr. I1vlngStoneS late discoveries remind
us Of paper in the Journal of the Bombay
Branch of the Royal Asiatio Society for 1868,
'tOn Recent Discovery in Eastern Africa, and
THE Adventures of Captain Singleton" in
which the author drew attention to certain
passages in Defoes romance, which now more
than ever seem to have anticipated the re-
suits of the travels of Burton, Spoke, and
Livingstone The following are a few ex-
tracts from these passages the edition of
Singletons Adventures from which we quote
being that Of Edinburgh, 1S10.-
Page S2.-Our aim was for the coast Of Angola,
which, by the charts we had, lying very near the
was due west and as we were assured should
meet with rivers, we doubted not but that by their
help we might case our journey, especially II we
could find means to cross the great lake inland of
the sea, which the natives cali Coalmucoa, out OF
ming; but reckonod without our host as you will
see in the sequel OF our story.
Page 101.-In this manner the river carried us up,
by computation, geo miles, and then It mar
rowed apace, and was not above az broad as the
another day, we came to great waterfall or cata-
ract, enough to frghten u.s. FOR / believe the whole
precpice above sixty feet high, which madc noise
enough to deprive men of their hearing, and we
Page 11s.-our negroes towing our canoes, we
travelled considerable rate, and by our own ac-
English miles day, and the river continuing TO be
much OF the same BREADTH and very deep all the
ract for ridge of high hills crossing the whole
channel OF the river the water came tumbling down
the rocks from one stage TO another in strange
manner; that 1t continued link of cataracts
from one TO another, in the manner OF cascade
only that tue falls were sometimes quarter OF q
mile from one another, and the noise confused and
frightful.
but three of us, with couple of our negroes,
mounting the hills another way, to view the course
OF the river we found fair channel again after
about half a miles march, and that it Was ike to
hold us a good way further SO we set all hands to
work, unoaded our cargo, and hauled our canoes on
could them
They then got into Wilderness.
Page 141-It was the ninth day of our travel in
this wilderness when we came to the view of great
Page l42-The.next day. which was the tenth from
our setting out, we came to the edge Of this lake,
OF it, for the north could see end of it, 80
passed by il, and travelled three days by the side
OF It, which was a great comfort to us, because 1t
lightened our burthen there being need to carry
water when we had 1t In view. And yet, though
here was so much water, we found but very little
alteration in the desert; trees no grass her.
bage. except that thistle, as called It, and two or
three more plants, which did not understand, of
which the desert began 10 be pretty full
After about HOO miles of their journey page 1905
We came TO river, which we saw from the hills,
and which we called the Golden River; and we
found 1t ran northward, which was the first stream
we had met with that did so. 1t ran with very
assured rue that this was either the river Nile, or
was said to take its beginning; and he brought out
his charts and maps, which, by his instruction, l
would convince me OF it, and indeed he seemed to
make it so plain to me that l was Of the same
Page 11O-It was the 18th OF October or there
abouts, that we began to set forward; and, having
an easy country 70 uaSei ih as Wen as 10 suppy US
made more despatch travelling sometimes, as we
calculated it, twenty to twenty-five miles day; nor
did we halt anywhere in eleven days march, one day
excepted, which was TO make raft to carry us over
small river, which, having been sweed with the
rains, was not yet quite down. When we were past
this river, which, by the way ran to the northward,
co., we found great row of hills in our way. We
iplaa tha Y tO 10 at n n
distance; but, as we kept true to our course due
west, we were not willing to go a great way out
so we advanced; but we were surprised
when, being not quite, come to the top, one
before u.s. cried out, sThe sea! the sea-" and feil
a-dancing and jumping as signs OF joy. The gunner
and were moat surprised at IT, because we had but
that morning been calculating that we were then
above 1000 miles from the seaside and that could
not expect to reach till anotEer rainy season would
be upon US, so that when our man cried out, "The
sea- the gunner was angry, and said he was mad
able, when, coming to the top Of the hill and though
ii was very high we saw nothing but water, either
vast sea, without any bound but the horizon. We
went down the hill, full OF confusion OF thought, moi
being able to conceive whereabouts we were, OIL
what it must be, seeing Dy all our charts the sea w
yet vast waysoH.
we came to the shore or water-edge OF the sea- ant
there, to further surprise, we found the water
fresh and pleasant to drink; so that, in short,
knew not what course to take. The sea, as W.
thought it to be, put a full stop to our journey
1neaOn Wss hana S' to- the
or the left but this was soon resolved for, as we
knew not the extent OF it, We considered that ou
way, If it had been the sea really must be to tht
north and therefore II we went to the south now
it must be just so much out OF our way at last, so
having spent good part OF the day in our surprise
at the thing, and consulting what to do, set for
ward TO the south.
twenty-th days before we could come to an,
resolution about what 1t was; at the end OF which
early one morning, OF our seamen cried ont
"Landw and 1t was no false ALARM for we say
plainly the tops of some hills at very great dis
tance the further side OF the water, due west
but though this satisfied US that 1t was not tn
ocean, but an inland sea or lake. yet we saw n
land TO the northward that is to say, no end OF 1t
but were obliged to travel eight days more, and
one hundred miles further, before we came to TIL
end OF it, and then we found this lake or sea ende
in a very great river which ran north or north-by
east the other river had done, which men nttone
before. My friend the gunner upon examining
said that he believed that he was mistaken before
and that this the riy er Nile but still OF tn
think Of voyage into Egypt that way; so we +,
solved upon crossing this river, which, howeve
was not easy before, the river being very rap
and the channel very broad.
They then made for the Congo river, br
were stopped by another great lake.
Page 17s.-At last we began to inquire our wa
pointing to the west They made us understan
easily that we could not go that way, but the
pointed TO us that we might go northwest, so til;
we presently understood that there anotht
lake in our way, which proved TO be rue for in tN
days more we saw 1t plain, and 1T held us till "
left hand though at great distance.
Page 1S.-Upon these considerations he advise
us that, as soon as we had passed this lake, v
cining to the south, and that in time wo should me
with the great river Congo, from whence the Goa
IS called Congo, being little north OF Angola ,whe