New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-25
AFRICAN EXPLORATION.
RAyARD TAYLOR'S ACCOUNT OF ROHLFS
EXPEDITION TO THE LIBYAN DESERT


DIFFICULTIES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PHOTO |
GRAPHS OF EGYPTIAN TEMPLES.
IrRoN A regular CORRESPONDENTS OF THE TRIDuNEl
GOTTA. Germany. June six months ago COM
municated 10 THE TRIBUNE account of the fare
we'll banduct gwen TO the African traveller, Gerard
Rohlfs. at Wemar, with his statement of the plan
he had adopted for an exploration of the unknown
parts of the Libyan Desert lying westward OF the
chain of Gases which are under Egyptian Jurlsdc-
ton Since then the journey has been made the
members of the Expedition have accomplished all
that was possible 10 them under the circumstances,
and Rohlfs is again safely installed IN his comfort
able home in Weinar engaged in preparing his mar
rative for publication. From time to time, during
the exploration letters portions of letters from
him. and also from his scientific associates Irois'
Jordan Zlttel and Ascherson, have been published
in various German periodicals. but, as IL Is hardly
likely that any of these have been reprinted III
America or that the complete report will appear for
n few months to come have collected the material
and compiled from it outline of the explorations
which may temporarily satisfy the curiosity OF those
who feel an interest in them.
As will be SEEM Rohlfs failed in one of his chief
aims-in reaching his collective point" the re-
ported or conjectured Oasis of Kufrah, lying In the
very heart of the Libyan Desert, rather nearer
Fezzan than Egypt yet in every other respect the
Journey was a remarkable one especially in regard
TO the now possibilities which it suggests in African
travel. Compared with Sir Samuel Bakers last ex-
plot il may well be termed triumph, considering
the moderate expense, the length of time employed
and the exact scientific results obtained The
Khedve at least expressed his entire satisfaction IN
this case and rewarded the members OF the eXpedl-
ton with orders and presents on their return 10
Cairo six weeks ago.
When Rohlfs and his companions landed IN Alex
andria. ON the 9th of last November the most i'm
portant of the preparations had already been MADE
The tanks of galvanized iron carrying l5 pounds OF
wafer each were on hand, provisions. tents, ana
eouipage were in readiness, and short time sutced
for the organization of the expedition After being
welcomed at special meeting of the Egyptian In
stute Marietta Bey presiding, the party were for
yarded TO Stout. in Upper Egypt. by rail and
steamer. Here, Rohlfs determined to proceed dl-
rectly 10 Tarafrah the westernmost of the Libyan
Gases by a practicable but rarelytraveled and I'M
described route.
The difficulties to be encountered were chiefly of
a material character. The Egyptian Government
guaranteed the safety of the expedition within Its
borders. and made the chiefs OF the small desert
tribes between the Nile and the Gases responsible
for any hostile movement. The Khediye gave
Rohlfs the unlimited use of 81 camels and hired %
additional for three months. There were thus 100
animals and 90 men, including guards, came-drivers.
and servants 10 be provided for. The transpoTta-
tion of water and food for the camels through
region where vegetation is utterly lacking required
A much larger caravan than was needed for the
security of the travellers.
Leaving Stout on the 18th of December the cara
van skTted the western edge of the Nle-Valey,
northwaId for two days, to a village called Marak,
near which stands Deyr-e-Mer, large Coptic mon
astery the inmates of which received the travellers
with great rejoicing claiming them fellow-Chris-
fans DAYS halt was made at this place, TO COM
pete the organization and the final supplies, to fill
empticd tanks with fresh Nie-water, procure addi-
tional sacks Of beans for cameltodder and as much
fresh meat as the place afforded. On the 2lst the
caravan turned its back the glorious green OF the
Nile-felds. heading nearly due westward into the
desert
An ascent of about 100 feet led to the first plateau
bare gravely waste, traversed by low, rocky
ranges or dotted with those isolated mounds of
cmmbling limestone which are called witnesses"
(t{moins), since they give evidence of originally
higher formations. The horizon was bounded by
ridges from 81 TO 100 feet in hight, the plains be-
tween being rarely than three or four miles IN
breadth. The botanist AschersOD found no vegeta-
zion except a few punches of dry wiry grass. The
rate of travel was nine hours day the camels aver
aging a little less than three miles an hour. 1he
temperature at 6 in the morning was only 31' while
at midday il never rose above ~ in the sun. The
plateau very gradually increased in hight until, on
the sixth day. it reached elevation of 1000 feet
above the sea-level after which it fell off again to
the westward.
On the eth there were signs Of an approaching
change in the scenery. The higher levels sank
RAPIDLY aud finally terminated in wall or escarp-
ment of nearly perpendicular rock, of the oldest
eocene formation, more than 800 feet in hight la
Mace of the limited sterile landscapes through
which they had passed. the travellers overlooked
vast valley stretching north and south, but showing
no signs of vegetation. The caravan trail, probably
thousands of years old descended IN steep zigzags
which were very difficult for the camels A few
miles further some stunted palm trees marked the
site of a spring, the water whereof proved to be
dose of glauber salts both to man and beast Two
davs tourney 80 miles, across the valley over high
shifting downs of pure quartz sand, brought the eX-
pedition to the Oasis of Farafrah, short distance
beyond which there is a western rampant Oh rock
exactly similar to that on the east.
Cailiaud in 1919, was the first and only European
who had ever before visited the Oasis. The approach
of the caravan greatly alarmed the inhabitants,
until they were treasured by the Bedouin Shekh
who accompanied it. But the appearance OF tara-
frah was a great disappointment. large mud
fortress fifty miserable huts, ragged and poverty
stricken population of about 400, with few gardens
and palm groves, soon banished the hope that this
could be made a supply-point for the caravan A
sheen a turkey some chickens, and dates were but
scanty provision for the party; but the members
were fortunately in thorough accord with one an
other and on New Years eve the day after their
arrival they opened some bottles of German wine,
sang The Watch on the Rhine" and at midnight
terrified the natives by kndling magnesium hight,
which Illuminated the whole place.