The New York herald., 1876-07-26
GENERAL ExpLANArIoN OF OUR MAP.


The map which We submit to our readers this morn
ing embraces, far known, the grand old river
Nle its basin and tributary streams from its utmost
sources down to the junction Of the Atbara- From
this point, following its windngs down the narrow
valley which it has created and fertizes the
course OF the river without tributary, is some
600 miles through roasting and raness desert to
the Mediterranean This, the Egyptian Nile, which
is not given in map the Nile OF the ancient Esyp
tians Pcrsans, Greeks and Romans, is the Oldest and
the grandest being the and builder of all the
OF Egypt We omit this old historic Nile be-
is below the field OF the modern Nile expIora-
tions and discoveries which here considering.
The object OF our map TO give to readers a
brds-eye view of all these recent Nile discoveries
the general field of exploration, field larger in
area than all the territory Of the United States OF
the Rocky Mountains In these Nile discoveries,
within the last fifteen years, have the solution
the civilized world OF
MYSTERIES THOUSAND YEARS.
These mysteries problems which have thus been
practically solved were,
First-Thc sources Of the Nile;
Sscond-rhe sources Of the annual Egyptian iuun-
dation;
Third-Thc sources Of supply OF the heavy, unfaing
nexhausiible stream oil the Egyptian river flowing
through burning and rainlcss desert, and without
tributary for full l, 700 miles.
TIE ANNUAL IyUNDAToS EGYPT
ceased 10 be mystery to the Inhabitants OF Cairo and
to the world with the publication of Sir SamucI
Bakers "Ne Tributaries OF Abyssinia" In his cxpc-
dton to Abyssinia, up the Atbara river, ia 6l62
while vet in the desert prairie owands hun
dred miles from the OF lofty Abyssinan
mountains and tabelands, he was night in June,
hurried out OF his tent which he had pitched the
dry bed OF the river, by the alarming cry from his
fait Arah of Rahr s.hl Rah The
river" 1.-The river!" He heard a heavy rumbng
noise like distant thunder momcntary becoming
heavier aud louder and approaching nearer and his
Arabs knew what 1t Hastily. then, ascending the
river bank 10 the sac ground OF the plain with his
wife, attendants and movaDes, ard settling down for
the remainder OF the night the fascinated explorer
aJoyous frame OF mind, awaited tho OF day Tor
a satisfactory answer 10 the startling cry which had
hurried him from the dry bed of the exhausted
river. And his JOY may be imagined when the
ing light, in new and cxharating atmosphere.
revealed to Baker the wonder oil the desert tho
e-sivius and lerulIzng inundaton rolling down the
A,bara, route to Egypt The flood had come down
like tidal from the Abyssinian mounta nA and
what tho dry bed OF exhausted river had been
covered during the night with q swelling, rushing
OF twenty feet In depth and five hundred yards
wiae Here, then, the secret was disclosed OF the
annual giving overflow the ranless but rich
fruitful valley OF Egypt
Turning TO map the reader will observe that the
Aibara and the Blue Nile, through many tributary
streams, drain most Of the extensive mountainous
region of ADyssina Tho casterly vcrnal winds which
sweep that country are heavily laden with enor-
nous of vapor drawn that great boiler the
Indian Ocean These clouds, striking the cold at.
mospherc OF the Abyssinan noun lains condensed
thereon in heavy showers Of rain through period
or three months aud from these absorbing
rams descend, through the Blue Nile and the
Atbara the Egyptian inundation. Sir Samuel Baker,
however, discovered from his observations of both
streams that the Atbara, Black RIVER is the main
source OF this inundaton and of the annual fertzng
deposit OF the rich bottom lands OF the Egyptian
Valley Hence, through 1000. nay, doubtless through
50o0 years and OF constant CULTIVATION the un-
exhausted fertility OF Egypt
TO the same explorer, Baker, indcbted for tho
solution of second wonder mystery OF the Lower
Nile-us ample and unailing stream through all the
year without any visible source of supply, and sub
Ject ccaselsss and extraordinary evaporation from