The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-09
Exploration of the Sahara.


Last week the French expedition COM
missioned to explore the Sahara in con-
nection with the proposed railway left
Paris for Marseilles, whence it will sail
forAlgeria. The expedition will devote
its attention mainly to the country south
of Wargla, which is too imperfectly
known at present to enable decision to
be come to as to the precise route which
the railway ought to take. The expedl-
ton is under thecommand of Lieutenant
Colonel Flatters, who is accompanied by
an efficient scientific staff OF engineers
and others.
They will be accompanied by an escort
of trustworthy frontier Arabs AT the
last meeting Of the Paris Society OF Com
mercial Geography, M. Masqueray, the
Saharan explorer, gave some interesting
information concerning the land OF Adrar
in the Western Sahara. This he derived
from three pilgrims on their way to
Mecca, who had been plundered in the
desert, and supplied with funds by the
French Government in Algiers to con-
tinue their pilgrimage. On their return
they have promised to conduct the
French explorer to their country. Adrar,
or Aderer, presents two or three OF the
chief aspects of the Sahara, which is by
no means the universal desert at one
time supposed.
In the southwest are long bands OF
sand, not exceeding eight DAYS march
in width. Adrar-Temar, the country OF
the travellers, is placed like long and
narrow island between two of these bands
of sand. 1t is an almost level region,
slightly elevated above the lands, which
tend to encroach upon its borders. In
termittent streams are found in the coun-
try, and there are numerous towns OF
large villages, containing a considerable
population. The three pilgrims repre-
sent their country as covered with gum
acacias and ostriches greatly abound
The most important commercial fact II
connection with Adrar is the existence
at iii of an immense deposit Of rock-salt
which, as we advance toward the coun
try of the negroes, becomes the mos
valuable article OF trade.
Tichu e Tishit), some days' journey II
the southeast of Till, is the principal maj
!, ket for the trade in salt, for which slave
are the principal exchange. There block
or slabs of salt, two metres long by on
broad, represent the value OF man. A
Timbucdtoo, piece Of this salt, the siz
of sandal, will purchase man. "W
have little to offer to Europeans" sal
the three Adrarians, "but we have man
wants, and for a long time we have OF
tanned European manufactured good
, with great difficulty" Trade, in fact, i
the Western Sahara is carried on in tn
= = following way: In Morocco, especially j
the south, are numerous markets SUI
Piled by England, and conducted b
Englishmen or natives in their service
, The goods which are sought after |
these depots are cottons, various kinds
I textures, powder, arms and even bu
+ houses.
The religious tribes of Adrar and thos
O who live between that country and th
y sea 20 to Morocco for stock Of these a
y ticles, and slowly return to Tishit, sellin
!. as much as possible en- route. In Adrf
!. they get rid Of the remainder Of the
merchandise. Some return to the d
pots, others obtain camels and salt an
, proceed southwark to the country I
the negroes, where they exchange sa
= and camels for slaves. This trade is yer
"a profitable. For two pieces of cotton, 4
- metres long, and value about l6s,
complete male ostrich skin can be q
= tanned, worth in Paris from s640 to ESQ
I For three pieces, fine camel, or seve
y or eight fat sheep, can be bought. IT
three Adrarians proposed that a Frene
factory should be established somewher
q. on the coast between Cape Blanco ar
a. Cape Barbas, thus turning some OF IL
70 profitable commerce toward France, ar
70 enabling the Adrarians to avoid the Git
cult journey to Morocco.