The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-27
RnME NIW HOKOS.
n Mission to Bornu Explorations Ia the
sahara and Soudan.

mana OF twenty years ago than In the portrayal |
of North Africa. That which was formerly rep |
resented ns a naked, unbroken zone Of sand |
stretcbing from the Nile to the Atlantic, and |
across many degrees Of latitude from the bar |
barry States to soudan, IA row seen to possess a |
diversity OF features for OK .mplc, extensive |
chains Of mount Iins, not seldom attaining a |
great height, numerous cases more or less fer
tile and populous and sometimes OF vast OK |
tent, and, Intorsp ersed with these, belts OF a |
treeless, wholly waterless waste, varying In
breadth from two to seven VS. journey. For |
our singularly augment d acquaintance with
the geography of the S,hara are largely In
debted to German travellers, among whom the |
names OF Barth, Overweg, NoRel' honnS' !
are specially familiar. Most OF these had
met with so kindly reception In Cen
ui Soudan from the sheik Omar kinR
OF DOtuu. tn { the Prussian Government uete'-
mined 20 send a letter o; thanks. Win snitao'e |
tokens OF recognition. to the African prince
The mission was Entrusted to a. NAChri"Al' |
distinguished explorer who set out IN inc
winter Of is69-7O but, by an untow'rd series Oh
disasters and sunerinVs, was detained between
i've and six years among the tfloes OF the IN
toror. He h at length however, returned 10
Germany, and We would direct attention To
some portions OF MS interesting narrative
which IL now publishing In serial form un Ter
the title OF Risen IN OSltchch N0rd-und cen
frdl ffrW1.
We may note nrst' that the crossing OF the
Sahara from north to south is only practicable
for Europcans under the protection OF large com
panies of native merchants who undertake.
trading journeys to Central Africa at more or
less dist mt intervals, and along three or four
routes followed 10y caravans, Tor many csntu-
hes. 1ripoh If the natural point Oh out
How Tor Central Soudan, ana formerly tne
caravan track from this port by way OF Mursuk
10 Bornu, was the most frequented OF all the
routes between tropical Africaa the Mediter-
ranean, and Is recommended by Its hume
rous water stations and belts OF vegetiton
When the slave trade nourlshed several caravans
were despatched In every year by mis- road to
soudan, and these on their return trip not sell
dom numbered many thousands. They took
with them to the negro countries ready
money In the shape OF Austrin ana
Spanish silver, cotton and silk stuns, e.
sences, coral, amber. mock pearls, &c, and
brought back ostrich feathers and ivory, but
princip lily slaves. The commercial prosperity
Of Dirnu and Trip olitauia has declined with
The slave trade, but II was along this route, now
lraversed by only one caravan yearly, that
Nacbtigal's journey lay.
He left lrpoli on the evening following
banquet AT when all the European residents OF
me town hhd assembled 10 oiu MIN Roou speed
hnu iookeu iorwaru 10 the successiui CONFUSION
Of his expedition within a period Of eighteen
months. lie waded through the sand belt
which girdles the coast. and then climbing the
1arnuna range OF mountains ptcneu ms
nrst camp In the deeD cutting OF beni-Uhd'
which he found clothed with hne grove OF
olives. This was the last appearance OF Vegeta-
Hon on a Large SCALE and although the wide hat
Gowns which he next raversed attested the
occasional presence OF rain. even this
rone OF stunted and arid growths eud-
ed al Bondjem. From THIS point open
those continuous level plains spread with
small loose pebbles, which form the dominant
feature OF the great African waste, and have be-
slowed Its name. serir tsahar1). No water. not
Tree or human being OF scarcely anv sign OF Ilfe
Ia to be seen, ana by the time the traveller
reaches sokna he has already avlvid sense OF
the advantages OF an oasis colony OF beroers
has Tor centuries dwet IN THIS oasis ana Kept
with the tonacity OF their race their national
LANGUAGE anu manners Sou'hw tu IRON SoAha
rise the so-c,heu BLACK mountains anu on 'heH
turther sue the desert becomes sun more