The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-14
CAPT. MONTEILS GREAT
He Travels through the soudan And Crosses
the sahara Unscathed.

New York sun.
The most remarkable expedition In Az
RIGA In a long time Is that which Captain
MonteIl has perhaps already finished. The
news of the sale arrival of the Monteil ex-
petition in the oasis Of Fezzan, south of
Tripoli, was tolegraphed TO France on Nov.
il. Monteii had reached Fezzsn on Oct IL.
and was about to take his departure for
Monteil started from the French post of
Segu. on the Upper Niger, about the begin
ning of last year. under secret orders from
the French government he crossed
ern BEN of the Niger. a journey which no
white man had ever made before. After
reaching the Niger again &C Say be trav-
eled through the SOudan. visiting the
with an excellent reception from the Sui
tans OF Sokoto and Bornu. He spent some
time in the large Haussa city of kano. and
then went on TO Kuka, the capital of
Bornu, near Lake Tchad. This Was the
town visited by the British officer. Capt.
Macdonald, two years ago. Macdonald re-
ported that he was received In q very cold
and cavalier manner. and he was con-
WINGED that it would not be possible TO open
trade relations with Bornu. It will now
be seen if Monteil has succeeded better.
though the British assert that under the
Anglo French treaty the French have no
right to enter into commercial relations
with Bornu.
After crossing the entire Soudan as far as
Lake Tchad, n having spent several
months at the court of the Sultan of Bornu.
Monteil started on Aug. 10 last To cross the
desert. He had with him one of the Sultan's
guides. who ives instructed to
him as far as Murzuk. in FezZan. He made
RAPID progress, and on Sept. II he arrived at
Kaour, and left this oasis on Sept. 20 for
Fezzan. which he reached on Oct. IL. de
his party was as unbroken as he had le d it
out OF Segu when he started. except that
two of his men deserted him in Bornu.
Thisex petition formed u part of the gen.
eral programme of ex EXPLORATION organized by
the French government after their treaty
with Great Britain, In August, 1890, which
gave to France rights of sovereignty over
the Sahara region. 1t became necessary TO
insure to France something more than The
enjoyment of the desert SAND accorded to
fore Nj. Etienne, Assistant Secretary OF
State for the Colonies. suggested
to the government TO organize q series
of expeditions co explore the bend of the
tell has been more successful than the
other expeditions. He Is the only one who
reached Lake Tchad. though Lieutenant
NIXON had the same destination in view.
when be reached Yola, she chief town of
Adamawa. and 80 turned south and
discovered some new tributaries OF
the Congo basin. 1t was really fort
innate f0r france tn0t ne was
not able to proceed TO Lake Tchad, for the
southern route he finally took resulted in
interesting discoveries and has probably
established Frances claims upon q large
region in the rear of the German coast pos
sessions. Monteirs journey through many
hundreds of miles of territory that was
wholly unknown. and lying almost alto
gether in regions that were likely to be un-
friendly, has been most brilliantly success
full III its exploratory aspects ana compares
favorably with the best work that has
been done In Africa.