The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-12-14

and vet unknown. II may be all the
more surprising 10 know that it is not
ten years since q big lake was discov-
cred in the heart Of the Pyrenees. the
mountain chain dividing Spain from
France. and in the heart Of Europe. one
might say.
I What do we know Of Africa Moth
I ing but in a general way. The eXplor-
ers have not gone far away from the
river courses. We can follow fairly
well on the map now the courses Of the
Congo and the Zambesi, and locate
approximately the long. mysterious
course OF the Nile. But the geographers
have little or nothing with which to ill
up the white spaces in Central Africa.
Some travellers are gradually breaking
their way INFO the interior country,
and the next few years viii yield many
valuable and interesting discoveries;
but the field is still large for those with
the ambition TO travel in unknown
countries.
The most important work of the tu-
ture African explorer will be to study
the various races and map out the by
geographic features. There are dozens
Of native tribes presenting character
istics interesting 10 the ethnologists,
We need more information than we
have OF the tree jewellers Of Shari. the
dwarf tribes Of the Congo, the Baluba
and the remarkable Baehilange. who
are already on the high road to civili-
zation-
Examine the latest maps of Western
and Central Africa and you win see
great districts without q mark or sign
Of the geographers. The great rivers
seem without tributary streams This
is in no sense a popularity. The tri-
butaries are there. Their absence from
the maps is the most effective presenta-
ton Of the fact that they are not yet
mapped out or explored. There is
whole world Of UNEMPLOYED country to
the north. south. east and west OF the
wonderful Congo. {
It is merely q theory that these dis
tricts are the richest in the world for
the farmer and scientist. It is certain
that gold, silver and precious gems are
plentiful. That the climate is fitted to
the production of temperate zone fruits
and plants is yet TO be decided. There
is work for the husbandman. the min
eralogist, the anthropologist and the
archaeologist as well as the topograph-
er. At least 100000 square miles of
unknown country. an area larger by
oue-half than the total area Of the
United States. is waiting the scientists
visit 10 Africa.
Strange tales come TO US at intervals
OF a race of white people living in the
far interior. No civilized man has ever
reached their country. which is said to
be on the skirts Of a desert extremely
dangerous 10 cross. Efforts made from
time TO time to reach these people have
been repulsed by the fierce tribes sur
them. A Mahometan priest
named Al Hadji saw one of the tribe
some years since while on pilgrimage
to Mecca Al Hadji described the man
as being as white as any European he
had ever met, with light hair and blue
eyes. Who will find these people?
Australia is another great field for
the explorer. Developments as strange
and important as those attending the
efforts of the African heroes may await
the traveller on the continent Of the
Pacific. More than 100000 square
miles Of unmapped and unknown coun-
Try awaits the venturesome individual
who shall endeavor to penetrate its
wilderness
South America is also entitled TO con-
There are parts Of it that
are less known than any other in the
world. not even excepting Africa or
Australia. For some reason travellers
have neglected the Southern Hemis-
phere. 1t is thought the unhealthy eli
mates Of the southern zone are respon-
sible, but this scarcely explains the
lack OF knowledge concerning districts
in the higher attitudes.
The result Of Dr.. Won Steinen's trip
up the Xingu tributary of the Amazon,
the discoveries Of new tribes and Gu
rious remains of earlier occupation.
were sufficient to stimulate further
energy in this direction Not the least
interesting would be particulars con-
corning the tribes of negroes. descend
ants Of the Spanish slaves who escaped
TO the wilderness TO found tribes more
barbarous even than those from which
they were taken in Africa.
The head waters of the Amazon, the
interior of Brazil and Ecuador and even
the Orinoco. are awaiting investigation.
Results extremely important to man
kind may be achieved from the explor-
alton of these districts. It has only
been a few years since We learned that
Western Patagonia offers great oppor-
tunities to the cattle raiser, and that
even cold, bleak Terra del Fuego, the
7 and Of Fire - is aIso adauted To sheen