The morning call., 1890-11-05
LAKE TCHAD.
A Body of Water of Which the
World Knows Little.

AS the center OF interest IN Africa is ZOE
the moment removed to Lake Tchad. few
facts about that lake, of which the public
hear so little, may be useful. A glance at
map will show that it lies on the southern
border of the Sahara, considerably to the
east of the Lower Niger, and that between
1t and the great bend Of the Congo lies the
most extensive stretch of UNEMPLOYED coun-
try in Africa. West and north of the lake
is the country of Bornu, east of it is Wadal,
and southeast of it is Bagirimi. The lake
itself is in the center of photographed
basin. Its principal affluent, SO far as is
known. is the River Shari, coming from the
southeast, which at one time was supposed
to be identical with the Welle, which we
now know flows into the Congo.
From the west comes the Ye0u, and
from the east the Bahr-el-Gnazel, though
the flow OF these rivers is intermittent.
Few European explorers have so far visited
the lake, about which we have SO much to
learn, and which, with the country to the
south, forms a splendid field for any young
ham and ClapDerton, coming from the
north, discovered the lake in 1928,
passed by the west through Bornu and
down to the Shari, which they traced
into the lake. More than a quarter of a CEN
fury later the great English expedition
under Richardson, Barth and Overweg,
penetrated into the region of the Tchad.
In 1852 OVerweg died on the shores of the
lake. Richardson also succumbed, while
their SUCCESSORS, Vogel and Bearman, met
with violent death, the former in Wadal
and the latter in kanem. Rohlfs was more
fortunate In 1s65-67, and Nachtigal in 1871
Y. After having visited Borku and Kanem
he trayersed BOrnu and Bagirlmi, Wadal
and DarfuI The name of the central mar
ket of Bornu is one that is often referred to
in speaking of Africa. and many French
maps represent it as the great point Of in,
tersection of hypothetical transe0ntinental
railways But it may very possibly have
been removed to another locality since last
we heard of 1t. The fanaticism of the
Tchad States makes all outside intercourse
dangerous, and it will be task of unusual
difficulty to bring these Central Soudan
States under European influence.
The existence of Lake 1 lad was, Of
course, known long before Denham saw it.
and its situation given with fair accuracy,
though its extent was greatly exaggerated,
and its relations to the Nile and Niger mis-
conceived. We know now that the lake oc-
cupieS one OF the lowest depresSlonS oil the
Central African plateau, its surface being
only about 500 feet above sea level. 1t col
lects the waters Of comparatively small
basin the actual extent of the basin we are
not In a position to estimate. Even the area
of the lake is very differently given, but that
depends upon the season. Nachtigal made
it out to be 10000 square miles. According
to RohlfS, in the dry season it is pot more
it spreads over an area of nearly 10000
square miles. Although in extent Lake
Tchad may be compared to Lake Erie 1t is
one of the shallowest Of the great lakes OF
the world. The fact is the lake is really a
sort of permanent inundatlOn. A horse can
wade from the coast to Seyorum Island
twelve miles off, whsle the natives say that
from kuka, on the west coast, TO the mouth
Of the Shar, the water is not more than
twelve feet deep.
H. = a ~.
its other side the extent of the water varies
greatly and morshes cover many miles from
the clear surface of the lake. In its southern
part it is covered with Islands, with narrow,
intricate passages between. AT certain sea-
sons of the year it is thought probable that
there are communications between Lake
Tchad and the Binue. Lake Tehad is an
exception to the general rule that a lake
which has no outlet is salt. The waters OF
this peculiar lake are sweet, and hence 1t Is
inferred that it may be OF comparatively
recent formation. At the same time there
seems no doubt that the waters OF the lake
during at least part of the year find an
outlet by the Bahr-el-Gnazal, on the east,
and the tradition is that not SO long ago
there was permanent discharge In this dl-
rectiop. In many respects. then, this IS an
interesting lake, and, shallow as tits, it may
in the future become OF value as trade
route. Its islands, meantime, are haultS OF
robbers or pirates, who make raids on the
neighboring shores.
With regard to the countries around the
lake, coveted by France, but naturally be-
longing to the sphere of the Niger Company.
they are we'll peopled. The ruling races are
Mohammedans, great traders as we'll as
warriors, with an elaborate social aud
political system, and likely to be good Gus
toners to whatever European State obtains
their confidence. Bornu, with an area Of
$1,000 square miles. has a population esti-
mated at 100000 Of very mixed race.
There is standing army of $4,000 men,
armed with rifles. There is great trade
in slaves with the countries on the north,
as well as in ivory, ostrich feathers and
other produce. WadaL with its vassal
States, Kanem and Bagirimi, occupies an
area of 100000 square miles, with popula-
ton estimated by Nachtgal at only 9, COG, COO.
I he trade is similar to that or Bornu. There
is an army of 1000 men. The Emirs of these
States are absolute monarchs. It would no
doubt be most desirable thing to establish
trade relations with these Tchad States, and
certainly the Niger Company is in the most
advantageous position for so doing. Doubt
less in any arrangement that may be made
with France, no barrier to future operations
on behalf OF the company will be established
and no exclusive right given to the French
to the future possession of the lake.-Cor-
respoDdence OF the Levant Herald.