The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-05-14
AN EXPEDITION
To tho Darkest Part of the Dstk Cor
tlnent.

tho Darkest Ihft OF the Dhik COh
tlnent
LONDON, May 7--'rhc expedition to
leave England on the lst of June 20 ex'
plore hitherto unl,owu portion OF the
Dark Continent, will be led and entirely
equipped by William Astor Chanler, q
young American known TO all interested
in African exploration from his daring
trip through NASAL and around Mt.
Kilima Marc some three yoais ago.
Mr.. Chanlcr is tho son of the late John
Winthrop Chanlcr. and grandson OF
the famous Sam Ward The expedition
has as its objective point n section Of
Africa which, owing to the invetcrate
hostility of the inhabitants, has defed
the most persistent cndcavors of all ex-
plorers. It is even a terra incognita to
the Arab slaveis and the Smahcli tradcrsi
Accompanied by Lieut.. Hornet, of the
Austrian navy, who has already trav-
eled in Africa with Count Tolclii, Mr..
Chanler will leave Lamu, on the east
coast, in the territory of the British
East African Co., about the middle of
June. His caravan will muster two
hundred rifles. Geo. Calvin, MIR. Cham
ler's servant, who accompanied him on
his expedition to Masaiand, win be the
only other white man.
The objects of the expedition are
purely scientific, and the equipment
will be as complete as possible As Mr..
Chanler and Lieut. Eornel are accli-
mated and accustomed to African diet,
none of the portcrs will be wasted in
the transport of canned goods, and con-
cnn In hn he
more able TO carry great quantity Of
botanical and chronological specimens.
Among other new appliances, Mr.. Cham
Ter will essay for the first time in Africa
the use of the long-distGnce photo
graphic machine.
After leaving Lamu the expedition will
proceed up Tana river to Mount Kenia.
Some weeks will here he spent in ex,
plorntion and in attempting an ascent.
From Kenia the expedition viii go
north, traversing the territory east of
Rudolph lake, a tract of country of
which nothing is known except that it
is inhabited by warlilIe Milotic tribes.
This country has been the objective
point of many abortive expeditions,
and was the scene of the massacre OF
Baron Van Der DeclSen, and OF the
more recent and less tragic failures Of
Revolt, Prince Ruspoli and Eerrandi.
Mr.. Chanler believes that by entering
the country of the Gala and Samals
from this direction, and thus taking
them unpreparcd, their fierce tribesmen
will be more disposed to assist the
strangers on to the coast and get them
out Of the country quickly, rather
than to drive them back into the in
terror where, by stirring up their enc
mics against them, they might be
source Of trouble to the Gala and the
Somalis for years. II
Upon this supposition, and upon the
fact that his caravan will have been
trained and hardened by years travel
before reaching the hostile savagcs and
not be confronted by them Immediate
ly on reaching the Somali coast, as was
the fate Of his predecessors, Mr. Cham
Ter bases his hopes of overcoming the
innumerable difficulties incident to so
daring an undertaking. He is also OF
the opinion that the sight of his two
hundred rifles will incline the hearts of
even the most warlike Somalis to the.
gentle ways of peace. Marching down
the Jubha river, Mr. Chanler hopes to-
reach the coast within two years after
leaving it, having travelled three thou
sand miles through the least known
portions of the continent