New-York tribune., 1874-08-01
AFRICAN EXPLORATION.
pAYARD TAYLoR's ACCOUNT Or DIR. NACBri-
GALS JOURNEY To WADhT.

CuApit-rER OF SULTAN AII-TURBULENr CHAR
ACrER OF THE PEOPLE OF wADAY.
lrRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE'l
GoTuA Germany jane 5.-If | remember rightly
The report of Judge Days excellent presentation
of the geographical work of the year hI3 omitted
enc very interesting achievement some particulars
Of which have been recently made public. This is
the opening Of the Kingdom of Waday, IN Centrai
Africa by the German traveller DIR. Nachtgal'
Since Barth's expedition, 20 years ago. the Germans
have speciallv devoted themselves to the eXplora-
ton of the unknown portions of Africa north OF the
Equator leaving the part south of that line to their
English brethren. In endurance, courage, and self
sacrifice they have fully equaled the latter Barth'
Voeel Rohlfs. Schwciufurt, and Nachtigal have
performed tasks fully as difficult and dangerous, II
not so conspicuous in their results, as Burton
Speke and Baker. Livingstone of course stands
alone and unapprOached in his achievements. lie
does not need TO be exalted through unjust dis
management of the German explorers, as Mr. Stanley
attempted IN his speech at Brighton.
The name Of Waday will be familiar TO all who
remember the fate of DR.. Nogel and MortZ Won
Beurmann. The kingdom lies directly TO the west
ward of Dar-Fur. and is separated from the country
OF Bornou by the smaller States of Baghirmi ana
Kanem the first of which was partly explored oy
Dr. Bartb. Wadav however, stretches c0nsluer-
ably 10 the northward of its neighborIng states us
former capital Wara, being about in latitude ID NJ
while Kouka, the capital of Bornou, is IN lau'uoe
100 If, southern boundary and the regions south
of it are entirely unknown.
Dar-Fur was visited in 1892 by Mr Browne an
English traveller, who was detained there 1or TWO
wears before being allowed TO return TO Egypt
Tins after Barth succeeding in reaching both Bag
hirmi in the East and Tmbuctoo IN the west
Waday remained the only Central African State be-
au1S which
had entered. Arab traders who had tra7ersed the
kingdom represented it as a rather arid table-land'
crossed by ridges of stony hills and Inhabited by
very fierce and barbarous people. There was htte
communication with the States on either side but
every two or three years a caravan was sent Dy
ronte which is still unexplored, to the Medlter-
rancan at Bengazi or Trip0ii.
Dr. Edward Vogel Of Leipzig was sent by the En-
Wish Government TO Barths assistance early III
1853 He reached BDrnOu in December OF that year,
bnt did not meet Barth until year later, the In
teryening time being taken up with journeys OF
exploration in the regions south of Lake Tsad. lie
remained after Barhs departure for Europe visit
inq the smaller Central African States until the LIST
of January. 1856 when he left KOuka for Waday.
From this time all news of him ceased. Two years
afterward a report reached Europe that he had
been murdered, by order of the Sultan OF Naday;
lint If was generally believed in Germany that he
was only detained In the country, like Browne In
Dar-Fur or Spoke aud Grant in Mtesa's Kingdom
various projects for his relief if alive, or for
Obtaining knowledge of his fate and recovering ms
Journals if dead. the work was undertaken by Mo-
ritz Won Beurmann, who was already distinguished
as an African explorer. After reaching MoulzuH'
the captal Of Fczzan he first attempted to strike
direct course toward Waday through the unknown
desert regions instead of proceeding first TO Bornou
He succeeded. in fact in reaching point consider
ably i'm advance of former explorers, but was then
compelled 10 return. By the time he arrived at
Kouka there seemed to be no further doubt In re-
gard 10 Vogels fate. IL was only known that he
had actually reached Wara the capital of Waday, on
the 18th of January 1856 and executed there on
the Sth Of February.
Won BeuTmann, nevertheless, determined 70 risk
the same ending in the hope Of saving Nogels jour
nals and observations. The fact that new Sultan
had. in the mean time succeeded to the throne OF
Waday offered possibility of his meeting with
other treatment. He left Kouka, disappeared from
our knowledge as Vogel had done before him, and
long silence was also followed by the news of his
death by violence even before crossing the frontier
of Wadav. This was in 1863, and when Gerard
Rohlfs was in BornOu, three years afterwards, the
danger was still too great and certain to allow OF
third attempt. The other expeditions devised for
the same object-especialy that of TheOdor Won
Heuplin. who endeavored TO reach Waday from
Khartoum. by way of Dar-Fur-failed completely.
Dr. Nachtigll was sent to Kouka Il think in 1865
with presents from King William of Prussia to
Sultan Omar of BornOu On the way, however he
DELAYED some time at Mourzuk, whence he made
daring trip TO the southeast penetrating much
fnrtber than Beurmann-in fact, nearly reaching
the unexplored country of Tibesti. Here, also. he
met with Nadcmoiselle Time, who was shortly
afterward murdered by the TibbOOs On reaching
Kouka the presents he took with him made him
narticularly welcome 10 Sultan Omar the most
intelligent and liberal ruler who has ever relgned
in Bornou We have only partial accounts OF his
adventures and explorations since then. The most
important tourney he made was TO a country called
Waracha. living some six to eight hundred miles to
tbe northeast of Lake Tsad, region hitherto en-
tirely unknown. He also penetrated TO the south
east. up the Schari River, TO point much beyond
that reached by either Barth or VoGel.
Eight months ago finally, the certain intelligence
came that Dr. Nachtigal had entered Waday and
reached the capital. The first rumor was soon con-
frmed by letters from the intrepid traveller who
announced his intention of continuing his journey
eastward through Dar-Fur and Kordofan TO Khar-
town. where he expected TO arrive by the end of
1873. Money was at once sent to Khartoum 10 await
his arrival and the German Consus at Tripoli and
Bencazi were also directed to assist him IN case a
change of plan should bring him to either Of those
ports But the hostile attitude toward Egypt sud
denly assumed by the Sultan of DarFur, the defeat
of the latteTs army, and the preparations for new
invasion of Egyptian SOudan, would eiecually pre-
vent Dr. Nachtiga from carrying ont his original
ulan. He has undoubtedly been obliged 10 wait at
AbeschT, the present capital of Waday the town Of
WaTa having been destroyed in civil war, until
an opportunity offered for crossing the unknown