Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-06
THE DARK CONTINENT.
Mr. Thomson's Expedition In ERst A
rica.

Mr.. ThOmsOn'a Expedition IN Enat AT
rica.
A few particulars Of the journey undertsk-
en- under the auspices Of the Royal Geograph-
ioal society OF London into the Nasal country
by Mr.. ]. Thomson were published shortly
after his return, but it was not until Novem-
Der 3, 1884, that Mr.. Thomson himself gave
an account Of bis wanderings to the society
which sent him out. In March, 1888, our
traveller left Nom basa for the country of the
redoubtable Marsai in the hope of visiting
Lake Naivasha, the reported Lake Baringo,
and the neigh borhood Of Mounts Kilmanj jaro
and Kehia. Accompanied by about 140 men,
whom, with the exception Of the headmen,
he chaTacterizes as the "offscourngs of Zan'
zibsr vilainy," he safely reached Tsveta,
lovely spot at the foot Of Klimanjaro, inhAb
tied by an bospitable and peaceable race,
and pushed on along the western side Of the
mountain until he reached Nasal town.
Here he was received in such a manner, ow-
ing TO a fight which had occurred between
the people and the caravan OF Dr. Fischer,
that be was forced to return to Taveta. After
a visit TO the coast he regained Taveta, where
he found a large native trading caravan.
Making friends with the leaders Of this, Mr..
Thomson again pushed forward, but on this
occasion passed to the west of Klimapjaro
This mountain, revered as the Holy of HOLES
by the natives living around 1t, has two sum.
mits-one the grand dome-like crater Kibo
(the snow-capped summit Of which rises 49,
S81 feet above the sea-, the other the peak of
Kimswenzi, the jagged outlines of whose
dark rock are lifted to l6, 250 feet. On the
southern side numerous streams, rising high
up the slopes, unite to form the Kiksvo, and
on the east several streams gushing from the
base form the Tsavo but no streams flow
from the northern side. Here is the desolate
Ngiri plain, evidently, from the ponds and
marshes still remaining, once the bottom OF
lake $3.50 feet above the sea. Four marches
across Ngiri brought the caravan to the Don.
yo (mountain) Erok, and here again the Ma.
sal we're met, and troubles began which we're
only passed through by dint Of unoeasing
watchfulness, coupled with the most patient
endurance. Passing through Mstumbato, a
region of red rock with abundance Of water,
a desert like that which intervenes between
Kilimanj ,ro and the coast was again encoun-
tered. This desert is part OF the line OF a
great north and south depression, and is
bounded to the east by the Kapte plateau and
to the west by the Mau mountains. Ascend
ing the Kapte plateau, rest Of two weeks
was taken at Ngongo Bagas (6l50 feet). The
next Landmark encountered was the remarka-
BILE extinct volcano Donyo Longonot, rising
5000 feet above the plateau, or 5000 above
the sea. 1t is a truncsted cone, and its sum.
NIT forms around a deep crater two miles
across a rim 80 sharp that Mr.. Thomson could
sit sstride Of it. To the north lay Like Mai.
vasha, which is but a shallow lake II miles
long by broad, formed by the blocking up
by volcanic debris Of the trough between Mau
and Kapte. Selecting 80 men, our traveller
left the caravan, which proceeded toward
Lake BahTngo, and struck out for the AZ yet
unvisted Mount Kenia After crossing be
fore unknown range Of mountains, rising to
nearly II 900 feet, he at length stood at the
base of Kena. This is a great volcanic cone,
nearly 80 miles across its base rising from
thorn clad plain 500 feet high. Up to l5,-
900 feet the angle is low and the slope almost
unbroken, but from that level a sugar-loaf
peak springs upward 5000 feet higher at so
steep an angle that the snow cannot lie in
many places. The travellers owed their lives
during this excursion to the reputation Mr..
Thomson bad acquired of being great med
icine man, but we're at last compelled to es-
cape by night, and, after six days of travelling
by compass in the direction in which Lake
Bahringo was supposed to lie, reached that
lake and joined the caravan. Njemps, occu.
pied by Nasal who, having lost their cattle,
have become good Africans, was made head
quarters, but the indefatigable Thomson,
with 100 men, again started on, this time Tor
the Kavirondo country and the Victoria Ny
snzs. Kavirondo is thickly settled, and Kwa-
sundu is large town. On December 10 Mr..
Thomson reached the great lake about 40
miles east OF it's outlet into the Nile. Much
Of Kavirondo lies on what is marked upon the
maps as lake. On the return journey the Gu.
rious inhabited caves of Egon-perhsps once
mines-were visited. After suffering with
fever, being laid up for a month by toss
from buffalo BULL and finally having to be
carried in a hammock from the effects of
dysentery, Mr.. Thomson regained Mombasa
in June, 1884.