, 1890-08-09

people, seems really a fine country from
this point of view. What could be accom-
plishch by partially clearing HE forest may
be seen from the planting operations at
Fort RCdO, where Lieutenant Stairs and
Dr.Parke lived for many months, and where
they grew large crops of maize, bananas,
tobacco and other cultures. Here Is IL
desclil ton of the county as seen from the
pla' eau above Lake Albert -
yesterday JtphSon and ! had examined
the SUBMITS of the hills, and in one of the
hOllows we had discovered tree ferns,
standing eight feet high, with stalks eight
inches in diameter. We also brought with
US a few purple Towering heliotropes, alCes,
and rock ferns for the Pa$ha. All this
has inspired him with a desire to inveStI-
gate the fora for himself.
"TheSe hills have an altitude varying from
5,40O to $500 feet above the sea. The folds
and hOllows between these hills are here
and there somewhat picturesque, though
on account of the late grass burnings they
are not at their best just now, Each OF
the hOllOWs has its own clear water rl!let,
II along their COURSES are bamboOS, tree
ferns; small palms, and bush much OF which
is in flower. From the lively singing OF
the birds 1 heard yesterday, it was
thought likely this Unsuitable collector
might be able to add to his store Of stuffed
giant-larks, thrushes, decorators, sun-blrds,
large pigeons, &c. Only four specimens
were obtained, and the Pasha is not happy.
"In a bOwl.like basin, trimmed around by
rugged and bare rocks, | saw u level ter
race a mile and a half long by a mile wide,
green as a tennis lawn Round about the
foot of this terrace ran a clear %rivulet,
through a thick bank OF woods, the tops OF
4, which just came to the level of the terrace.
1t has been the incest site for n mission or
u community of white men that l have
seen for a long time. The altitude was
$500 feet above the sea. From the crest
of the rocky hills encircling it we may OBJ
tain a view covering 5000 square miles OF
one of the most glOriuusly beautiful lands
in the world. PiSgah, sixty miles west
ward, dominates all eminpnces and ridges
in the direction of the forest world Ru-
wenzOIi, 1900 to 10000, white with per-
petual SHOW, eighty miles off, bounds the
view south 20 the east the eye looks far
over the country of UnyO;O; and northeast
lies the length of the Albert Nyanza."
The instructive map prepared 10y
Stanford from Mr.. Stanley's observations
affords an excellent idea Of the ply steal
features of the region traversed, and es,
pecially OF the new features to the south of
Lake Albert. This liz even more strikingly
brought sOut in the bird'S-eye view of the
region presented Ill one VI tue pidlGSs
The sudden fall from the plateau down to
the level of Lake Albert, over 1900 feet,
is remarkable. It is not quite so marked
on the southern lake, which is not so much
of the nature of a ravine il may be because
the lake has much diminished in size.
That Doth lakes have greatly shrunk is
evident; but that they ever formed one
lake is a point that eau only be established
by a series of careful observations The
same may be said as to the real nature of
the change of level is it permanent, Or is
1t only OF the Dature of all oscillation
of level, rs is the case with other African
lakes? What, again, are the forces which
have been at work to produce these lake
.chasms, and raise the magnificent noun
tain mass of RuwcDzOri? 1t may well be
that the same forces have been at the bot
tom Of both features, though possibly not
i'll the precise fashion that MIR, Stanley
would seem TO indicate. There is here,
evidently u splendid field for geological re-
search, aud science has therefore every
reason to wish that all this region may
soon be restored to clvilizing influences
included. if possible within the sphere of
the British East African Company. The
volcanic mountain mass of RuwenzUri, with
ats many SNOW covered peaks and deeply
scored sides. really. covers a considerable
area, with outlying peaks, like Gordon
Bennett. and MackinnOII, east aud north
east. Both aud Lake Albert Edward are