New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-25


as by miracle, and wheat-feids of deepest green.
dark palm groves white walls and sparkled
in the light of the sinking sun. From the gate of
the town stately cavalcade advanced to receive
and welcome them: il was headed by Egyptian
officials in European dress. some of whom spoke
French After formal reception by the Governor,
they were installed in large mud palace and hber-
ally supplied with provisions.
The Oasis of Dakhe is the very reverse of Far
afrah. The people, 1900 in number are peaceable
and friendly; there is a largo area of garden-and'
producing not only palms and oranges but olives,
apricots, grapes aud mulberries. Near the town 80
or 40 powerful springs burst from the earth the
water which is highly ferruginous and has tenn
perature of 1902 is carried by rrgating canals over
many square miles of SOIL 1t appears that wherever
the stratum of chalk underlying the whole OASIS Is
pierced a stream of water is certain to rise to the
surface. Hitherto it has been supposed that these
springs are fed from the Nile; and the theory has
also been generally accepted that the Nile itself
long ago sent out from Upper Egypt an arm which
passed through the Libyan Gases to the Mediterra-
mean. Upon most maps of Egypt depression is
dotted across the Desert and geographers, hereto
fore. have had much to say of the Bahr betd-md
river without water), of which the Bedouins gave
report The observations made by Professors Jordan
and Zittel completely refute this theory The level
of the Gases is considerably higher than that OF the
Nile: there is no such depression, as OF rlver-Ded
in the desert the temperature OF the water aiohe'
establishes its independent source and the absence
of all vegetable remains indicate that the subsistence
of the prmeval flood left this part of the African
Desert exactly as it is now and it will probably
be for long ages to come.
Prof. Ascherson asserts that the Oasis of Dakhel
would support than ten times its present popu-
lation The ancient Egyptians cultivated the whole
of it, and the temples still remaining. the signs OF
abandoned wells and canals-even of dwellings IN
localities which are now uninhabitable-sh how
rich and nourishing was the region. The present IN
habitants are of Egyptian descent, litte mixed with
the Bedouin tribes. Since better system OF gov
ernmcnt was introduced by Said Pasha, they be-
come orderly and industrious the incursons of the
Bedouins have also entirely ceased
As randy as possible ROhlfs made preparations
for the further advance. 1t was impossible to ob-
tain any knowledge of what the unknown desert TO
the westward might have in store. There are no
cames in the Cases. and the people are therefore Ike
inhabitants of an island in the sea, without boats.
There seemed TO be even no tradition of an ancient
caravan trail in that direction On the 10th OF jan
uary Prof Jordan was sent in advance with part OF
the camels, to erect landmarks in the painless
waste; Prof Zittel followed on the 22d, and Rohlfs
with the rest of the caravan on the 9th After a
tourney of four days they reached depression with
sufficient grass and thorny bushes for camel pasture,
| but without water trees Rohlfs considers thls
| to be the suppcsedOass of ZerzOora.
After two days further march, i'll south-westerly
direction the expedition to dead stop. on the
4th of February To the nOrthward and southwark
stretched sterile waste; westward arose hills, or
rather mountains of loose sliding sand, with broad
hollows, also Of sand, between them-nowhere
foothold even for the brOad-footed camel Several
attempts were made to penetrate this terrible region,
but all the evidences showed that it was of great
breadth. The strongest camels would have broken
down in a dav or two and thus the chance of return
might be cut off, no less than that of advance.
Rohlfs thereupon determined to coast along this
sand-sea northward, and seek for place where 1t
might be traversed The point reached was in lat.
25o II NJ and long. 27o 40 i. from Greenwich. He
gave 1t the name of Regen.feld (tain-fedl, on ac-
count of a steady two days rain which there over
| took the caravan.
| On the 9th of February the different portions OF
| the expedition being again united, they set out
toward the northwest. The supply OF water, pro-
visions and camel fodder was sufficient for ~ days
Prof Zittel gives the following description of the
sandy barrier which they skirted and which con-
tinued from day to day to bar their advance
toward the west: "The huge masses of sand spread
before us like an ocean agtated by tempest and
then Frozen seemingly firm and yet movable. When
the wind whirled up a fine vail of sand along the
ridges, bluning all their sharp outlines the pale
yellow hills, frequently more than 800 feet III hight,
make werd, threatening, spectral impression upon
us. 1t seems if the whole mass were IN move
ment and might soon everwhelm u.s."
The action of the wind had formed long capes of
sand which project from the main body and the
caravan keeping near TO the latter IN the nope OF
finding passage through, crossed two OF three OF
such capes or pTomOntOreS every day llere was
no trail: the course determined by the compass
and astronomical observations Between the capcs
the floor of the desert was level and hrn, ana the
camels made such good progress that the average
march was 20 miles day. The weather was uneA-
pectedly cold, varying from % TO % fahrenhelt III
the morning. ice was formed upon vessels OF water
On the third day hill composed entirely OF fossils
chiefly ammonites was discovered, and at the END OF
SIX days halt of - hours was necessary III order TO
rest the camels. For nine days more the march was
continued until on the Goth of February the cara
van reached the Oasis OF Jupiter Amm0n, III North
ern LIbya
of African exploration. The caravan was 30 DAYS
between Dakbel and the Oasis OF Jupiter Amm0D,
without hndlng single wen. Inc iton tanhs oot l
tanned water enough for the supply OF men ana
cames during this long period. When 1t is con
sdered that no other travelled route, IN an the
Sahara has a longer space than seven-day Journey
without water the possibility OF penetrating almost
everywhere, by the aid of Rohfs' device, becomes
evident. The distance traversed by the caravan
during the 50 DAYS was about 800 miles, and the
great sand-Sea was found to stretch n0rthward,
without gap practicable pass almost to the OASIS
of Jupiter AmmOn. 80
Here new measurements were made, and the de-
preston Of the surface below the level Of the Med-
terranean Sea proved to be very nearly 100 feet,
which correspondent with the discovery made by
ROhlfs on his former visit We have, as yet, no
information relative to the extent OF tins DEPRESSION
orits boundaries toward the east and the south.
The movements of the expedition, from this time
until the close of its labOTs also still undescrbed
Rohlfs remained in the Oasis five days TO rest his
cames and then started on his return, intending
N. LII rl.lnfn 20