Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-02
EMIN's ALLEGED DISCOVERY,
Has He Really Found the Source of tn
Nile?

Those who are interested in the geography
Of Africa, says the New York Times, will re-
joice in the eccentric wanderings Of Emin
Pasha, for, according to the latest news he has
solved the world. wide problem OF the ultimate
source Of the Nile However, we have heard
the cry SO often during the last thirty years
that We must receive the news from Emin
Pasha with some reserve.
According to the information which has
reached Berlin, Emin Pasha and DIR. Stuhl-
mann, travelling in the region between Lakes
Victoria, Tanganyika and Albert Edward,
have discovered a new river named Kifu.
This river. which it is concluded has its
sources in the Uhha country, lying to the
east OF the north part Of Lake Langanyika
about four degrees of south latitude, would
| have q course of from 220 to $50 miles, and
flows into the south end of Lake Albert Edward.
1t is not stated that Emin and DIR. Stuhlmann
have actually followed the course of the
| river They have no doubt encountered il
on their journey from Victoria Nyanza to-
ward the other lake and followed it down to
| its mouth. II the course which they lay
| down for it is correct it will compel US to
| alter the photography of our maps of this
region. There is no mention OF the Lake
kifu, between Tanganyika and Albert Ed
| ward, to be found in existing maps; and it is
| well-known that the African natives rarely
distinguish between a river and q lake
Nyanza, in the language Of Central Africa,
| standing for both.
The still larger lake, Akanyaru VI Alexandra
Nyanza, as Mr.. Stanley named it, may very
| probably have to be removed. No white tray.
| eler, go far as Is known, has ever seen it. Mr..
Stanley placed 1t down on his map from native
| report. 1t may simply be an expansion Of the
kifu. and not the source Of the kagera, which
flows into the west side Of Victoria Nyanza,
The Kagera will thus lose much Of its import
ance as a remote feeder of the Nile, and the
kifu may possibly become its most southerly
| source. But it should be remembered tina,
when Dir. Stanley was marching northward to
| the Victoria Nyanza in his great journey across
Africa he came upon river in about degrees
south latitude which he believed flowed into the
south shore OF the Lake under the name of Shi-
meeyu. Mr.. Stanley struck this river at only
one or two points. and these may really have
belonged to different rivers.
At all events on tine most recent maps the
Shimeeyu is sharply detected to the east from
its mouth to tho lake, and there is no river
rising 81 south latitude which flows into the
Victoria Nyanza. Probably we have not heard
the last word about the ultimate sources Of THU
| strange river, about the position Of which
Ptolemy, after all, was not so far wrong. We
have first the Kifu rising in about 40 south
latitude, running into Lake Albert Edward
| issuing thence as the Semliki and feeding Lake
Albert. There it mingies with the Victoria Nile
| from Lake Victoria, and together they issue
| from Lake Albert the White Nile, which, be-
fore It reaches khartoum, is augmented by 9
| multitude OF tributaries from the west. Whether
the shimeeyu or the Kifu DO its most remote
| southern feeder the river flows through 500 OF
| latitude. The full details of this journey oil
Emin will be awaited with interest, especi tally Il
| he continues to fill in the blanks on our map,
and to complete our knowledge of one of the
most remarkable rivers Of the world.