The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-31
AFRICAN GEOGRAPHY
1T Is BEING RAPIDLY BY
EUROPEAN EXPLORATION.
Discovery of Lakes Rudolf and Stef-
anie-Their Water Brackish and the
Region ThinIy Populated.

hC 4AChSA ICSlO II ClWCth liz
Indian ocean and the valley of the Nile,
including southern Abyssinia and Gala and
Somali lands. has been the field for various
exploring expeditions during the past few
years. Among the most successful was the
one OF which these volumes C'Discovery of
Lakes Rudolf and Stefanie," by Lieut..
Ludwig Won Hohnel,) contain an account.
Its leader was a Hungarian nobleman,
Count Teleki, whose principal motive APP
pears to have been sport, rather than sci
ence. On the other hand, his companion
and the historian of the expedition, Lieut..
Won Hohnel, an Austrian naval officer,
proved to be an enthusiastic explorer and
an excellent photographer. He has since
added to his reputation in these respects
by his work in connection with Mr.. VIII
liam Aston CHAMBERS attempts to traverse
this region from Mount Kenia to the Gulf
of Alden. This was brought to a nearly
tragic end last summer, when a severe
wound from a rhinoceros compelled him TO
return to the coast. to which Mr.. Chanler,
finding further progress impossible. has re-
Gently followed him.
Lieut.. Won HohneIs account of the eXpe-
dition in which he won his spurs as an
African traveller has very considerable
merit, and also labors under certain disad-
vantages. 1t is we'll written and contains
many excellent descriptions of caravan and
native life and customs, as we'll as numer-
Gus hunting and other adventures. n frank
truthfulness characterizes it which inspires
confidence in the authors statements, while
he impresses himself upon the reader as an
pleasant companion and a man of kindly
| sympathies for the natives. At the same
time the various incidents in connection
with the organization and conduct of an
expedition in East Africa, on which he
dwells with conscientious minuteness, are
now very familiar, and he has not suffi-
cient descriptive power to lend a new
charm TO such a twice-told tale. The great
er part of the journey was through coun-
| try which has been often described, ana
! the new territory which was explored and
in which the discoveries were made proved
singularly embarrassing and forbidd1ng-
So much space also Is given to Count Tel
eki's hunting exploits that not even the
can prevent their becoming monotonous
and wearisome. 1t is difficult at time to
repress a feeling of indignation at the
slaughter recorded, although 1t may nave
been necessary to provide meat for the
porters. From an appendix containing ex-
tracts from the Counts game book it ap-
pears that over $50 head Of large game fell
to his rifle alone. This includes twenty
eight elephants and seventy-nine rhinOce-
latter respectively having been shot in one
day. Then the value, as we'll as the inter
est, OF the narrative is somewhat leSSereu
by reason of the long delay in its publica-
A STRONG EXPEDITION.
It was in January, 1887, that the expedi-
ton, numbering more than 300 men, left
Zanzibar, and, with the usual delays Incl
dent to the movement of 50 large a body,
proceeded to Mount Kilimanjaro. Here
several months were spent in making prep
a~rations for their journey nOrthwaed from
this point, and in excursions, one of which
was an unsuccessful attempt to reach the
summit of the snow-clad peak, Kibo. The
account of the mountain of Taveta, the
forest paradise at its foot in which they
camped; OF MasaiIand and its inhabitants,
differs in no essential respect frOm those OF
other travellers. The Nasal gave the expe-
dition no trouble, being held in cheek, no
doubt, by its size and strength. Though
Lieutenant Won HOhnel casts some doubt
upon the reputed bravery of this interest
ing peOple. fhev Inspired the coast negroes
with great fear, and a solemn religious
service was held by the MOhammedans
among them to secure their safety before
penetrating into the heart of the country.
To the north of the plains roamed over
by the Nasal lies Kikuyuland, a strip of
high lands from eight to thirty. miles in
breadth and about one hundred in length,
with an elevation of from 1850 TO $500
geous and Industrious people, some dis
tricts being $50 carefully and systematic
ally cultivated that we might have been
in Europe" Attention has been frequent
ly directed to this country of late as be-
ing the most suitable for European coloni-
cation in eastern equatorial Africa, and
the English have established one station.
For. Smith. on its border on the line of
the projected railway from the coast TO
the Victoria NyanZa. But at this time the
Wakikuyu were very averse to the passage
had shortly before completely destroyed
a trading caravan which had ventured
under the lead of DR.. G.. Fischer. to
fight every inch of the way" Notwith-
sonable objection of the natives to the
presence in their fields and villages of a
large armed force, Count Teleki chose to
although apparently other routes to the
hunting regions in the north were. open
to him. The authors account of the
events of the six weeks spent in this
country is the most exciting, though the
opposition of the natives, confined through
the efforts of their chiefs, except in two
instances, to. Threatening. tedious negotia-
come partly by the persistence of the
Count and partly by his repute as a rain
maker. This deceit he never heSitated to
practice when it was for his advantage,
and he more than once sold rain medicine
shed, the last occasion being but a few
days before the frontier was reached. a
The head men of the expedition. who, by
permission of the Count, fired on him. and
a general volley ensued. in which the two
Presently the natives began to rur
away. with our men, who were not 10 be
held back, after them. Worn out with the
perpetual petty worries of the preceding
days. our people were determined to pay
their prosecutors out now. and soon nc
one was left behind but the Count, Jumbo
Kimemeta. a few invalids and myself.
We heard several shots in the distance, and
then all was still. About an hour after
wards, smoke arising from the direction OF
the villages. showed that they had beer
set on fire by the %victors. and parties OF
our men began to return, screaming, sing
ing and dancing as they fired off their owl
weapons and fiourished those they had
taken from their enemies. Nearly all OF
them were also driving cattle before them
while some had taken women and children
prisoners. Soon the camp was so crowded
with cattle. etc. that il seemed impossible
il could hold more. and our men. drunk
with victory. smeared with their own blood
and that of their victims. presented a nor
rible appearance as they danced a wal
dance opposite the tent of their master
and laid their booty at his feet
Ii is difficult, after reading this passage
to see wherein lies the difference. so far as
the natives are concerned, between Count
Teleki and an ordinary Arab slave hunter
except that TippOo lib raids a district FOL
the sake of gain; 10 the European noble
man a raid is a ''regrettable" incident in
his pursuit of sport.
AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT.
An attempt was made by the Count 4
ascend Mount Kenia. but he was Obliged
TO turn back while still three thousand
feet from the summit. although some dis
lance above the snow line. His companion