New-York tribune., 1875-11-02
AFRICAN EXPLORATION,
GERHARD RoHLFs's TRAVELS.


CIvIIIzAuoN-1HE OASIS OF JUPITER AMMoN-
PROGRESS OF EGYpT.
IrIoa Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THH TRIEuNBl
WiEsp ,pRN, Sept. 12.--The celebrated explorer.
Dr. Gerhard Roblfs of Wemar, gave recently lee
ture on the expedition undertaken by him in 1SG9,
by order of the hing of Prussia to the Cyrenaika
aad the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon. lie ALSO included
in his discourse account of the exploration of the
Iybian Desert, under the auspices Of the hhediye OF
Egypt, during the Winter of 1874.
Bayard Taylor las already made the readers OF
TuE TRIBUNE acquainted with this intrepid traveller
("Ahicsn Exploration Tribune Extra, No. 22;
still brief sketch of his career may be of interest.
Rohlfs was born near Bremen, and is at present ~
years of age. In 1S49 he studied medicine, then
fought in Agiers in the foreign legion against the
Arabs trayersed tho Desert of Morocco from west
to east disguised as a Mohammedan, and in 1864
was the first European TO penetrate TO the Oasis OF
Tual in the Atlas range. After short stay III Ger
many he set out for Mursak, vert tn BoTnu by way
Of Dma, then along tho Niger, through the virgin
forests OF Jonba, aud reached the coast at Lagos,
whence he arrived in England in 1867. The next
year le accompanied tho British AbysslIlan expc-
iitiOn to Magdala. and in 1863 took the hing OF
Prsias presents for the Sultan of Bornu to lrpoli,
shere lac delivered them to Dr. NaehtigaD, whose
adventurous journey TO Wsdai Bayard Taylor has
Rohlfss personal narrative.
The Cyrenaika may he reached from Tripoli
,ither by land or by soa: as the former route had
already been several times trave1sed and described
l,y Dr. Rarth for iIstancej Rohlfs chose the water
roate and embarked on Turkish sailing vessel.
steamer usually makes the transit in ~ houiS saii-
ing vessel in three days but contrary winds and inc
incapacity of the captain combined to prolong the
voyage for six days and nights The CyronalAs,
known ~ the Pentapolis i'll ancient geography, IS
province Of North Eastern Africa and may be oaled
Oil island being surrounded Oh two sides Dy the
waters Of the Mediterraneap and the others by the
cvershifiue sand-billOws OF the great Sahara. In
size il is equal TO Sicily and attans altitude OF
5000 meters lis vegetation is highly luxuriant.
while the animal kingdom is but poorly represented
by a few harcs and rabbits. About 100000 Arabs
living in tents are its only inhabitants; writers
have claimed them to be kabylee, but although
traces OF Grecian and even PhGnician blood MAJ be
found among them still all marks pointtowafd their
Semitic descent But what is 0f most interest IN tins
secluded country the vast remains OF It's ancient
civilization. As far back as Go years before the
Christian ca Greeks OF the DOric crossed over,
founded the cities of Cyrone. Tauchlra, and lies
peTis, and instituted II kingdom which lasted
for over 200 years, when 1t became part
CT Egypt. and i'll 07 il. T., 1t shared tno
hundred years later again the Arabs oyerran it, and
under the banelul influence of Mohsmmedism 1t fell
into utter decay. Ancient authors here placed the
gardens Of the Hcsperdos with their golden apples
aud The River Lethe with its waters of Oblivion.
certain plant now unknown, but probably belong
ing 10 the asafpti Ia family, was found here only,
and Oh al coins of ancient CyienaIla Its image has
been discovered kind of coat OF arms. while It's
value was considered 10y the ancients equal to us
weight in silver. RohlE visited the ruins OF tho
ancient Gree, colonies at Pto0mais, but found lew
traces except here and there the capital Of dcTc
column worked into the walls of a modern dwell
ing or a monolithiC pillar used rs dOoT-sill There
were no large monumental edihceS visible. with the
exception perhaps of the ruins of temple near the
sea the freze of which still shows traces OF sculp-
tlrod grapes and zines, de1oting that 1t was for
mery Dedicated probably to Bacchus. Although
not a eapporter of tho theory that all movements
and changes on our globe arc caused by gradual
rising and sinking of its surface. R0hlf5 was still
forced D. accept il with regard to the ancient harbOr
OF PtoOmaIs for ii has entirely disappeared, and
as the Town itself is to-day 22O yards distant from
The seashore it ia safe to accept the intervening
tract OF land as the bottom OF the former harbor'
which has gradually iison from the sea. From the
shore the land rises in terraces. The different crops
raised at different attitudes were mentioned by
wesfisome, though the elevation is but moderate.
Ol The summit are the remains OF the ancient high
road from PtOlOnais TO Cyrenc. but Only those who
have seen the Appian Way at Rome can form an idea
Of the multitude OF t0mbs commemorative tabielr,
and monumental stones which both sides line this
highway. Tracks OF half FOOT in depth, worked
into the solid stone by the wheels OF GrceA'
Egyptian. and Roman chariots, testify TO the im-
mcnse traffic which formerly took place here where
now one only occasionally meets wandering Arab.
But by far the grandost ruins are found at the
ancient Cyrene There the Metropolis, II city OF the
dead, covers an immense space LOhis himself
during his stay resided in tomb, calculated Ivy
Measurement TO hold the remains of 1000 people.
The Hippolromc by its size aad beauty still testiaes
10 sach greatness and grandeur might beeypccted
in country whose horses were wont to carry away
the prizes at Greek and Roman races.
Having thoroughly examined this remarkable
country Rohf, entered the Great Desert i'll order TO
penetrate to the Oasis of Jupiter Anmon. HIS way
frat led directly south to small oasis; where his
caravan rosted several days. He found the inhabi-
tant V, ry unciyil the children peTssting in throw
ing stones and mud at him whenever he appeared,
until be threatened 70 revenge himself on friends Of
theirs, whom nc pretended to hold as hostages IN
TripOs and Cairo. At this place he was oyertaken
by that terrible African sand-sOrn, the sinoon OF
more correctly as he said, sim00m. Usually 1t only
lasts half an hour. and very rarely half day. but
this one continued for three days and ights, blow
ing from all directions of the compass, but princ-
pally from that hottest corner of Africa south-south
east. His own and his companions preservation
was due only to the fact that they were still at tho
oasis, and therefore able to supply each man with
abundance of water, for. says ROhlfs, sand-storm
of itself cannot kill beast. may it last ever
so long, but the want Of water, the heat. and conse
qucpt enormous evaporation are fatal. as happened
TO the army of Cambyses.
Leaving this sholter. he turned toward the east,