The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-27
MYSTERY OF THE ono RIVER.
An African Stream Whose Course Has
Puzzled Geographers for Years.

An African Stream Whose Course Has
Puzzled Geographers for Years.
A river rising among the mountains OF
Abyssinia and flowing about six hundred miles
to the southwest and south has been the
subject OF more speculation and contradictory
evidence tor twelve years than any other
stream In Africa The ONO River was known
at its sources and at a few points along it's
course. but the explorers who visited it and tho
CeoGraphers who reviewed their work could
not agree as to its destination. 1t was
geographical conundrum. as the Congo and the
Niger were in the years when tho hypothesis
was advanced that the Congo was probably the
lower part OF the Niger. The truth about the
ONO River was discovered two years ago by
ono OF the mos. unfortunate expeditions that
ever entered Africa: and tho two white surviv-
ors Of the Inflated party. who said their leader
and comrades had fallen under the FIRE OF a
savage foe. and who were held captves until
King Menelek secured their release, have been
able. this fall. with the aid OF the records that
were recovered. to publish in Italy the story OF
the second Bottego expedition and map OF
the ONO River.
Eleven years ago most mapmakers believed
that the problem o: the ONO River had been
solved. though the views OF the explorers were
still widely divergent. Count Teleki. Capt
Hohnel and Signor Borelli maintained that the
river flowed far to the southwest and empted
into Lake Rudolf Other explorers headed by
d'Abbadie. all OF whom had visited the river
thought it was the upper course OF the Sobat
which fowA into tho Nile. 1t was evident
that Lake Rudolf which Is subject to enor-
nous evaporation. received a large water sup
ply from some source. and this con side rat ion
led most cartoG pliers to represent the Ono
as tributary OF that lake at its northern end
This hypothesis was in great favor at tho
time when Dr. Donaldson Smith. the American
explorer. came homo with information and
opinions that again unsettled the question.
He had assembled tine Nianam River. which
empties into the northern end OF Lake Rudolf.
for 100 miles. He said it was a small stream
and he thought 1t most unlikely that it was the
lower part OF tho large ONO River Twenty
miles away he saw the mountains where he be-
lieved the Sianam headed. and in his opinion.
the ONO turned to the southeast somewhere
and became the Jub River. which empties into
the Indian Ocean. DR.. Donaldson Smith did
much excellent geographical work on this Jour
ney. and some Of the best mapmakers accepted
the new hypothesis and showed tho ONO az
the upper part Of the Jub
1t was left to the second Bottego expedition
to trace the ONO from its middle course to LAX q
Rudolf and prove that Donaldson Smith was
mistaken. and that the Sianam was really the
lower course OF the ONO. The incorrect i'm
preston OF tho American explorer was doubt
less due chiefly to tho fact that he saw the
Nianam in tho dry season at a low stage oil
water. No phase Of African exploration has
given rise to 50 many perplexinG questions q.
the rivers. many Of which were known in par,
for many years before their entire courses
were revealed. But tho photography OF tn,
continent in all its more i'm portant features II
determines at last satisfactorily.