Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-27
lections of It's Characteristic fora and

degrees IL minutes Is sccvNus, east. III.
Smiths postmsn were two Withholding
natives whom he had come across In an
otherwise uninhablted country. collecting
gum and shooting game with poisoned
arrows. In the letters which. by heavy
brides. these men were induced to carry
TO the coast DR.. Smith stated that. al
though, owing 70 the loss OF many OF
his cames and the necessity of procuring
fresh ones. his progress had a first been
slow he was so far satisfied with his
journey. lie had then 10 splendid camels
In the pink OF condition. He had intended
TO cross the Erer liver, and continue his
journey westward but found this impos-
sible with either donk Tvs or camels.
From his camp al Turfa he exploded the
Erer for 30 miles, and located IL much
farther 10 The west than II appears on our
maps. lie also spent much time In map
ping the course OF the riyer-beds Sillul.
Dacheto. Lummo, and Turfd. and in get
ting correct names Of places-a task. as
all travellers know. Of the Utmost dim
Guilty.
UNINHARITED.
The country for many miles along the
rivers Eror and Shebell was. he reported.
uninhabited on account Of the feuds be-
tween the Gailas and the Ogadams. Game
was abundant. and he was able to make
a large collection Illustrating The animal
and vegetable life Of the country. Fossil
shells and coral were to be found all over
the hills His great difficulty was 10 find
guide. but. just before his wild post
men left. one Of his accommodating par
ties brought in a couple of Calais whom
they had captured. and from whom Dr.
Smith Aas able to extract some useful in
formation when their fears were some
nh al. fThrTuNh these DR..
Smith subsequently relates IN letters dated
about the middle Of December. ne was
able to make friends with the Arusa Gal
las. whom he found 10 be anything but
warlike, and anxious TO be on good terms
with the mysterious strangers who had.
they were convinced, come from the
clouds to rid them of their enemies, the
Abyssinians. This belief in the supernatu-
raj origin Of Or. Smith and his men was
due 10 the fact that the Gallas believed
it impossible for any human beings 10
cross the rivers in their then swollen
state Hearing much talk among the
Mohammodan Gallas OF Sheikh Husein as
4 place Of great importance. DR.. Smith
determined to visit II. For the first nifty
milea west Of the river the country was
dry and unproductive. resembling Somai-
land But at the wells Of GOrgora there
was a great change both i'm the climate
cool and there was a great variety Of
trees. bushes. and vines. Rain fell in
abundance. Luku 500 feet above sea-
level. was reached after several marches,
and from this place TO Sheikh Husein DR..
Smith was struck by the richness OF the
soil and the splendid crops of durrha,
maize. and other cereals raised by the ma
tives. The whole Of the soil Of this
mountainous district would. he wrote de-
light the heart of an English farmer.
STONE BUILDINGS
At sheikh Husein he was surprised at
the number of stone buildings, including
two mosques and five shining tombs Of
Sheikhs. 1t is regarded as a holy place
by Mohammedans The hill on which
Sheikh Huscin is situated is three miles
in diameter at its base IS only 800 feet
above the surrounding country, and has
a Eat too on which the village is built.
A few miles TO the south is a splendid
group Of mountains, Of which Abugasslm
is nearly 900 feet high. and is a land
mark for long distance around. Here
he found himself compelled 10 make
long stay, and took advantage Of the de-
lay 10 survey the surrounding country.
The woods were fun OF beautiful birds
and butterflies and towering plants. spe-
lections The delay at Sheikh Husein
was due TO the hostile attitude Of the
Abyssinians. who refused 10 allow the
expedition to proceed. Twice Or. Smith
attempted 10 evade the army which the
Emperor Mcnelek had sent into that part
of the country, and twice he WAS COM
PEELED TO turn back. one result Of these
futile attempts was that the expedition
traversed a good deal OF country which
would not otherwise have been visited,
and on one of the rivers Or. Smith and
Mr. Gilett discovered a very remarkable
subterranean stream. where large tribu-
tary Of the Jub had carved its way for
d mile through hill.
Eventually. Dr. smith determined TO
evade the Abyssnians by making a great
detour and crossing the WEBB Shebsli far
TO the south. At Bari Mr.. Gillett left
the expedition for the coast. but before
he left fresh supplies Of cloth and money
had been received, and. as DR.. Smith had
an ample number Of camels and large
supplies of trading goods. the prospects
of success were most encouraging II only
the Abyssinans could be avoided. The
Emperor Menelsk. although he claim
ed the whole country as far south
as the sea, had not been able TO conquer
the Borani. and accordingly Or. Smith
determined 10 try 20 reach their country.
witt this object he fixed his line OF march
outside radius Of 200 miles from Gin
mish. the Abyssinian fort. and from the
telegram which has just been received
in London IL Is evident that In this he
was entirely successful. The BOrani coun-
try lies 10 the east and northeast of
Lake Stefanie. only a small portion OF
the south end Of which was visited by the
Telck.- Hohnel expedition. From Lake
Stcfanie Or. Smith crossed over TO the
northern end Of Lake Rudolf to the Man
ANN river. which flows into the north
ern end Of Lake Rudolf. At this point pr.
Donaldson Smith Joined his own route
10 that followed by the Austrian travel
lcrs seven years ago The journey TO the
east coast was made through quite new
country. 10 the north Of Kenia. and the
Korokoro country on the Tana river by
which eventually Lamu was reached.
II Is. of course. necessary 10 await
more detailed information than can be
conveyed In telegram before the full
value OF Or. Donaldson Smiths oxpedi-
ton can be properly appraised But there
is no doubt that he has done an excellent
niece OF work which should help 10 MI
up more than one blank on The map OF
Northeastern Africa. Already, Indeed, the
British Museum has benefited largely by
the collections which Or. Smith was able
10 send home from the Webb Shobeli,
and in his journey 20 the lakes and from
the lakes TO the Tana river he has, doubt
less. amassed other collections with
which 70 enrich the natural sciences. II
is too. IN the country that he has ira
..l....a et,ca his Ia - letters reached Eng