The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-27

traversed the sand belt, some four uaye
marches broad, which precedes the fertile coun-
try, and reached, soon hterward, the uninhap-
tied oasis Of Agadem, on the extreme southern
rim OF the desert proper. Between this and the
zone OF regular summer rains intervenes mar
row Rirdle Of steppes, which form an artistic
transition to the tropical regions OF Soudan'
The steppe Is not only rich In her bs and grasses
but presently light clumps OF trees appear at In
teryals, and then with every southwark step the
phenomena Of vegetation and animal lifo be-
come more varied and exuberant. In proper
ton as you approach Lake Tsid, the under
growth and forests grow dense and bright OF
hue, and the traveller, winding through them'
sees hears the antelope, the elephant, wiz
boar, and lion
Nacht,gars Hrst glimpse OF the famous inland
sea, Lake Tsad, was disappointing, for u seemed
to be a boundless, reedy swamp. Along one
edge the first negro village stretched It's sugar
loaf huts OF sedge and straw. The rich pasture
lands surrounding 1t were thronged With neat
cattle, sheep, goats horses, asses, herons storks.
peiicans. ducks, and many sorts Of long-leeged
marsh and water fowl; while, In a nook OF open
water, a tame elephant was bathing, and Just
beyond him a hippopotamus diving aud dis
porting. Moving along the southern shore
OF the rsad, the caravan soon crossed Its west
ern a0luent, and on the 9th OF July encamped
before the capital city.
The object OF Nachtieals mission was known,
and on the following morning his formal
| trance into Kukl was attended with much cere-
mony Everybody In the town who could pro-
| cure a horse, and thousands Of spectators on
| foot, crowded the arid plain, which, by a freak
| u nature, encirclcs tho tropic capital. On
| a sind hlllock was posted the Crown
| Prince, Aba Bu Bekr, surrounded by
| brilliant suite Of chiefs and nobles whose gay
| robes, gold-stitched burnouses, silk-embroiI-
dered TUNES of fine linen, with the gorgeous
| caparisons Of their horses, exhausted the re-
| sources Of ne sro pageantry. Next to these was
| n squadron Of mailed warriors whose shirts of
| finely woven steel, heavy arm and thigh pieces,
| steel clsque aud visor, coupled with the mussivo
| head ana breast plates Of their chargers, repro
| ducod with considerable fidelity tue ledeval
| men at arms, Then came tho royal slaves,
| armed with flint locks and nrrnyel ia yellow,
| red green or blue Jackets and hose of European
| make then ununif,rmed Infantry lancers
| slinrers nrchers snsnrmen while In the tinme
| date vicinity Of the prince howled. whistled
crashed. and GLANCED the ROYAL band in mag
nincent outburst OF discords.
| Kuka consists OF two indepenlent towns sep
| nrated by n broad omen space. One contains the
| main palace OF the King and the dwellings Of
| he phncin A nobles. tn, other 4, ns,iyned To
| tho ,ornon MANILA and IN s,ranyers Roth are
| surroundad hv nm Garth wall twen,v feet birh.
| auoro,cbet nv tarracea fr,m the inner side
Fv.rv s,reet olIev. and court ward il thicklv set
win tree. A str.ioht. broad avsnue. called
| Dendal, or Kings road. bsects both cities from