Evening star., 1898-09-17

tered upon survey-perhaps have COM
pleted it-of the Sahara region, with the
ostensible object of oascertaining the feasi-
biiity of converting it into an inland sea-
This is said to be feasible, as portions of II
are known to be below the level of the
ocean, and 1t is DECLARED that by SO con-
verting it the general climate would he so
modified as to make habttable hitherto un-
inhabited regions; and by flooding the vast
areas of burning sands. with it's alterations
of diurnal heat and.nocturnal cold obviate
the terrible siroccos, which now periodic
ally sweep across the Tell blasting vegeta-
ton and destroying animal life with its
heated breath.
That would be a scheme worthy-well,
worthy the French themselves-of De Les
sepS and his great compatriots.
All Aboard for Timbuctoo
When 1 was last at Oran had the good
fortune to meet party of French scien-
lists doing" Algers, among whom was
the famous geologist EIisee Reclus. We
engaged in conversation, and l was sur
prised to find that he knew so much of
America, while he astonished that 1
knew so little of Algiers. So he proceed
ed to enlighten me, and among other
schemes he unfolded this for the conquest
of the eastern Soudan. That was some
time ago, yet 1 remember the enthusiasm
of my friend and every detail of the plan
for one does not meet so famous man
as Reclus every day, and faithfully noted
the French all will declare today-that the
time has not arrived for an invasion of
central Africa. And it has not, but
it may be precipitated, perhaps. before the
French get their rallroad system IN run
ming order!
That a railroad is quite practicable has
been shown long ago, for the desert region,
except Oh it's borders, is remarkably level,
and there will be very few viaductS to
construct or gradients to be overcome. 1t
is not over 1,200 miles to Timbuctoo, which
would be the first objective, and from
which the invaders could proceed at their
leisure 10 the remoter points, east and
west, the arid region having been attacked
and overcome. This railroad once built
the distance would be traVersed in less
time than it now take to travel from Tan
giers to Fez, in Morocco; for week Is
generally consumed in that journey, at
the rate of twenty miles day, and reg
ment of soldiers is necessary to project
| the caravan.
Beauties of the Route.
! And what a vista opens to the traveller
| contemplating this prospective Journey
into the Soudan to the banks of the Niger
starting from the north coast, touching first
at Constantine, a sister city of Carthage in
| it's time Of glory, passing through Batna,
| the lions hunting ground, where the
Frenchman, Girard, slew scores of the king
| of beasts" through Biskara, enbosomed in
date palms, and past more ancient Okba,
which still holds It's mosque erected IN the
eighth century! These oases are but the
outlying islands of the Lihyan archipelago,
| the verdant Gays and islets in the sand-seas
| of the desert. They are the stepping stones
| from the Nile to the Tell; between them
run the caravan trails, their courses mark
| ed by bleaching skeletons.
There are perhaps half million Soudan-
ese in Morocco and Algiers. who Cor their
immediate ancestCrs) toiied painfully over
the tropical caravan trails across the Saba
IA. They are generally faithful servants and
said to be vastly superior to the debased
fellahin of Egypt as well as of the natives
of Guinea and the Congo These are but
specimens of the strange peoples and the
wondering natives who will welcome the
coming of the first train from Algiers to
the ivory coast
For the sake of suffering tourists who
have well-nigh exhausted the known resorts