The New York herald., 1879-07-11
ACROSS AFRICA.
Major De Ssrpa-Pinto's African
@ Explorations.
lrsa3a.H ~
FROM BENGUELA TO NATAL.
A Story of Dangers and Hair.
So breadth Escapes.
AFRICAN PROBLEMS SOLVED.
Completing the Work Of Livingstone
Stanley and Cameron.
A RACE OF WHITE AFRICANS.

Science has added new and important victory to
those already obtained in late regards tho
s6rvey OF Central and Southern Africa. Az stated
In the cable message to the HERALD of June ~.
Major de Serpa-Pinto. Portuguese officer who has
lived for considerable length Of time in the Portu-
guese colonies OF Western Africa and illustrious
dsvotse to geographical studes has lately succeeded
lncrossing the African Continent from the Portu-
gpsee colony Of Benguela to the English one Of
TraAsvaal employing sixteen months in his eventful
journey The Portuguese nation. and especially the
Lisbon biographical Society. who provided for the
equipment OF the expedition. must be congratulated
upon their success, there ~ doubt that Major
Rnto's name will henceforth rank side by side with
those OF Livingstone. Stanley and Cameron, not
only. by reason of his having followed line Of
march in the same direction that Of the great
explorers mentioned through unknown regions,
bnt also on account OF the important results
obtained by him in reference to astronomical
observations and Typographical developments. In
August. r1s77. the Portuguese government having
decided to equip an expedition for the exploration
OF Southern Africa. and having voted sum Of
$4,000 for the purpose. the Minister Of Marines
lected Major de Serpa Pinto for the command Of this
important service Starting from the Portuguese
settlement Of Benguela the Atlantic IL deg. 80
in south latitude. the 5th Of August 1877 Major
de Serpa-Pinto traversed the Continent OF Africa
from west to east arriving at Durham the Indian
ocean 30 degrees south latitude the l4th of April.
1s70. He reached Lisbon after absence Of twenty
months. There he has been received by the King.
Apd very recently delivered lecture his travels
spd adventures before the Geographical Society OF
Ixsbon. fs
~ MAJOR rINro's nIARx. t.essea
Major de Serpa Pinto encountered on hi journey-
ings across the dark Continent thousand suge and
hairbreadth escapes. some of which he hes narrated
In his lecture before the Lisbon Geographical So-
etety, and others Of which will doubtless be de-
scrTbed in his forthcoming book. Major Pinto's
diary. informed, .'extends to i've volumes
of closely written matter. and 10 . model Of pre-
cision and detail. containing mine Of informa-
ton all scientific subjects bearing on the objects
Of his journey. The barometrical. meteorological
and astronomical records are exceeded only by the
geographical and geological statistics and light In
thrown on many points which up to the present
time have been matter Of doubt and dispute. Among
the many treasures preserved twenty charts de-
vfcttng muutely the Countries passed thRough; 80
drawings Of the most remarkable places scenes,
including some forty cstaracts at different points
the Zambesi; collection OF 800 plants and superb
collection OF insects and birds. The description OF
the sources of four great rivers all starting from the
same neighborhood- -Kangula-and Of the discovery
of the River Coando navigable for six hundred miles
6erp& Pinto in the first rank OF African explorers
Like Stanley" says an English correspondent.
Who met the traveller in Egypt. 'De Pinto is small.
spare man. looking somewhat older than his actual
age which is only thirty-four. To the casual OBJ
server 1t seems incredible that such frame not
exactly weak. but certainly not powerful. could
undergo SO many hardships such journey in
wolves. 1t is true that Major de Serps- Pinto bad
several years military service in the African
colonies Of his country and acquainted with
Kafhr dialect. but amount OF mere training can
produce such men with all the necessary natural
Qualifications. A curious episode Of De Pinto's
Journey 10 worthy Of note. His escort was composed
gimost entirely of men belonging to a cannibal
tribe. How many he started with and how many
Ne lost route will be duly recorded. but he ar
rived at Durham and Zanzibar with eight OF these
men. whom. owing to the Zulu war; he was unable
70 send back to their country. He was there
steamer OF the British-lndia Company to Lisbon,
whence they will be transported to Benguels"
t...l ..u THE EXPEDITION.
The Portuguese expedition COMPOSED of Major
Alexander Serpa- Pinto de Brito CspeIlo
aud Robert Ivens. Followed by escort OF Iour-
teen soldiers and fifty carriers IL started on
through the regions of Dombe. Guiilenguex and Ca
c0nda, arrived the beginning of March, 1873, at
Bthe after exploring sections OF the country about
which only that little known which was traced
on So da Bandeira's map OF Angola. The positions
assigned to the various ocalt traced in the same
were. however, found by the Pinto expedition to
contain some gross errors as regards both longitude
aud latitude. often amounting to much Is half
dozen degrees. The following are the positions de-
tDrmined by Major dc Serpa-Pnto during the first
part VI his voyage with their corresponding heights
Latitude East Q Abore