The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-06
NEW AFRICAN DISCOVERIES
Interesting Facts That Kr Cavendish
Brings From the Lake Ru-
dolf Region,

London, Nov Sit was reported
about three weeks ago that a young
man named H. S. H. Cavendish, who
has titled relations, a fortune, and proc
1ivities as a sportsman, had been muir
dered in Somaliland.
The story Of the tragedy was spoiled
the other day, when Mr.. Cavendish
turned up in London with an account Of
his extensive travels in East Africa and
the interesting discoveries he had made.
He was away only a little over year
and he and the 80 men in his caravan
had exciting adventures with the ma
tives, who gave him some hard fights.
Of course, the Gallas got the worst of
these encounters, and CaVendish did
not lose a man during the years jour
ney, which is a remarkable record. He
says he found coal both east and west
of Lake Rudolf that burned well, and
there was a good deal of it. If his re-
port is accurate, this news is interest
ing, for coal has not been found hitherto
in any part of tropical Africa, except
for some distance along the Zambesi
river.
Most of the region around the two
lakes, Stefanie and Rudolf, is pitted
with ancient craters, and Cavendish
found the most remarkable crater that
has yet been discovered in the district
The natives call it Sodigo Vo and it is
about a mile and a half wide and 1.300
feet deep.
His predecessors in this lake region
were Telel1i, Donaldson, Smith and Bot
world any idea of the country to the
west of Lake Rudolf. 1t may be, how
ever, that the records of the Bottego
expedition, a part of which were re-
covered after the massacre of his par
ty, will contain information about the
west side of the lake, for it is said that
Bottego visited that district. Caven-
dish supplies the first information of
that region.
He ascended a mountain 5000 feet
high, at the north end of Lake Rudolf,
from which he had an extensive view
of the country to the west He says 1t
is a mass of mountains, entirely unin-
habited and exceedingly difficult to ira
verse.
traced the whole of the west shore,
hitherto unplotted on our maps. For
width of about so miles it is quite fiat,
when the land rises suddenly into the
mountains. 1t is subject to great var
iations. often flooding the country all
around.
Count Teleki found at the south end
of Lake Rudolf the only active volcano
then known in Africa. Two years ago
DR.. Donaldson Smith found this vol
canO still in a state of eruption, but
Cavendish now reports that it has been
shattered by a great conYu1sion, and
where it stood, there is now a plain of
lava.
He discovered another lake south of
Rudolf in which was volcano that
had also been shattered, killing the fish
in the lake, whose bodies covered the
shores.
Round the shores Of Lake Stefanie
the explorer had some excellent sport,
and it was here that he was caught by
a wounded elephant
MY escape" said Mr.. Cavendish,
t'was nothing less than miraculous. The
great beast, mad with rage, was charg-
ing me. when, at the critical moment
my gun failed, and had to turn and
run. But the elephant soon caught me,
and going on his knees tried to pin me
to the ground with his tusks. Failing
in this, he caught me with his trunk
and flung me round under his body with
the idea of crushing me to death. How
I escaped, do not know. as 1 was in
this situation for half an hour. At the
end of that time the great brute got up,
and kicking a piece of wood which he
doubtless took to be my dead body,
made off to his retreat. Curiously
enough, I had no bones broken, but
was covered with blood
Mr.. Cavendish is only 21 years old.
He has certainly had some remarkable
experiences and has brought home in
formation of value.