New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-23
LAKE TCHAD.
A FRENCHMAN'S DESERT JOURNEY.
From The London Times.


From The London Times.
Commandant Montell las made journey remark
able and interesting alike from geographical ana Il
political point Of view. 1t is mole than two years
since he left Senegal. almost immediately after the
signing of the Anglo-French Agreement OF August.
roughly defining the spheres OF influence OF Great
Britain and France In the Central sondan. About the
time that Montel lett 81. Louis other eXped
tons. with Lake Tchad as their goal, were sent OUT
by the French government Lieutenant Mzon, whose rose
differences with the Royal Niger Company ea'hed MN
o somewhat unenviable nOtOriety In this country
few months ago. in command OF one expedition
which was designed TO reach the lake by way Oh te
Benne; another expedition. which had the same OBJ
ject in view. was under the leadership Of the unior
tunate VI. Paul Crampel Lieutenant Nixon as every
one knows. found 1t impossible to reach Lake ichaa
and abandoning me oriea opTou o, d ms 6 for ne
sangha River. where he elected a Junction with NJ
TO have ciiectually cut of the German colony of the
Cameroons from expansion toward the Interior. no
Of its leader and OF most Of his companions. It Is
unnecessary TO refer. OF the various eApeGllions,
Commandant Monteil has alone been successful. ana
the French officers undoubtedly brilliant achievement
In This country where the difficulties and dangers OF
travel in the heart of Africa are kno"h ana apprcoi
special correspondent OF La Polilique Colonale,"
who met Commandant Montel on the edge OF , Ine
account the expedition which has reached Europe.
Commandment Montel, accompanied by only one i EURO 70,
mean cOmpanion-Adjutant badaire-left 81 LOUIS on
october 8, 1890. and on December 20 OF me same
year reached scgou. the Upper Niger the i9rdneS
eestablshIng their authority. From scgou he struck
out for say across the great band OF the Niger un
Captain Bulger and Dr. Giozat vas rea cel,o III,
reception far from cordial. ~ oro uueil9 H.
whose father had befricnded Barth gave the mission
better welcome though ne s Go @n ar Srh@a is
suzerain OF large number OF petty chiefs tne UtaH
made with him Is, in COmmandant MOntells view,
Of especial Importance and it due TO the good VIII
OF this chief that the mission on lis arrival at say Oh
dNiculfv vaS fOund In obtaining tho signature OF
the local chief to the usual treaty OF friendship WIN
Saw is at one end Of the line which under the
Anglo French agreement already referred to Is the
boundary between the respective spheres OF influence
creement that the actual delimaton OF the boundary
should DC made by commissioners appointed lTr ,h~'
purpose bn mp TO the present moment no delimtauon
has been attempted 1t was. Commandani Montell as
serts. part Of his instructions from the french E1'
eminent ascertain as far as possible what Wnmo De
doubt the information which he has been able to oh
tain will be OF the greatest value TO the french uoN
At the same e me odr maT bv De the cxpGon
lfter leaving say until Lake Tchad was reacheu nes
we'll TO the south Of the -Barrawa line ana se
From Say, Monteil made for Argungu. ne capital Oh
Kabh his route lying through an snr Of Knbb
was In a moderately amiahle mood as he had recen'y
pnter ArrnnCu. strong fortified town with popua
ion estimated by Commandant M9nte ; a, Coco
Ign letter granting the right OF free passage through
his country Frenchmen. treaty the serkl rc,u d
y Ion Sis M Sokoto where they arrived on the 1sth Of
october. The serd of Kabhi and The sultan OF soKo,S
risen between The scrli and Commandment Montcil
having reached the sultan the latter gave the French
sokoto Is by the agreement 1890 expressly recos
d by France T within the S PSre c Q" nav
required and exercised rights OF trading IN me su,am
's s pa have oreeS d iSr b the
dr. Joseph Thomson at the time the ,renN c %Ts
NJ Mdna s Sn it DC does not
;entcd him from making with the sultan inc S,e
which had w Sssn ,Ss treaty n may be-
rot told, but it can hardly be relied upon hv 'ne
n any way modifying the International agreement OF
800 and that the sultan signed the ,reaS ore3 10
xplain does not in any way affect the question.
At Kano, his next stopping place ~ Mon nc VIZ
,e experienced in negotiating some drafts on lola.
which the sultan had given him in paymen, for goods
Ms entering Bornu hut at length start was made
the end Of February Of this year and on March
he greatest difficulties were experienced. and II VII
this part Of lis ounGy %Gn T h% S"ry of
he expedition comes TO he told From the hare our
which is all the d b g Karrn
Borsari and Kua, and at each OF these place thoy
u, TO IpT oG E mn Permission had
been obtained from the Shrikh OF knka. When knta
yncy at in Strangers and afforded an escort
Town which Commandant Montcil estimates at 10000
Hdam received The French traveller in state. and
begged him to consider himself nj home In Bornu;
Montei presented his credentials. ana
70 far did outrage to the Republican sentiments OF lbs
native land as to describe himself rs accredited Icy
King" Carnot and the "Vizler' Etienne-a descrlp-
ION which he jusfes on the ground that no other
yould have been Ineligible TO the Shcikh. pres.
mt a copy in Arabic Of Thousand and one Nights
really pleosed tho Sheikh Four months spent
II Kuka but at present nothing IS known as 10 |
he result Of Commandant Moneil's long stay al NE
aptal. No mention Is made In the necesSary hrlci
ccount as vet available Of any treaty having been
do with tha
10 doubt he obtained and in any event traveller OF
'ommandant Monteil's experience and attainments
annot have spent months on the shores OF Lax.
chad without having learned much that will he OF
interest and value to geograp hical science. on An
nst 10 the journey across the desert was begun ann
fter many difficulties end hardships has now been
,fely ended by the arrival Of COmmandant Montel
nd his companions at Trpoli In