The sun., 1900-06-17
AN AxSRICAx sxPLORER IN AFRICA.

Or. Donaldson Smith Of Philadelphia has ar
rived at Cairo after his second series OF ex-
ploratons In Africa. 1t may be inferred from
the brief announcement that the geographical
results OF his latest journey will be fully as i'm
portant as those OF iso4-os. when his explora-
tions, according to the best authorities. placed
him In the front rank Of African explorers
At that time his surveys included large portions
Of somaliland and Gallaland in northeast
Africa. as far west as Lake Rudolf. where i----s
were more geographical problems still unsolved
than In any other part OF the continent pLa
book and route maps settled once and for all
important problems relating to rivers, noun
tain ranges and other geographic features
which were already partly known because they
extended beyond the large area that no ex-
plorer had ever raversed
DR.. Smiths latest work supplements the dis
coveries he made on his first great journey. He
went again TO Lake Rudolf, where he was on the
threshold Of another large unknown area No
explorer had crossed the country, about 400
miles wide. between Lake Rudolf and Victoria
Nyanza. and this Is the region which Smith has
now traverseJ. A year and half ago British
military expedition crossed much OF this terri
tory to get into touch with the Abyssinians but
the purpose Of Capt. Austin's expedition was
purely political a part of the journey was made
by forced marches on account Of famine and no
geographical information was sought after or
reported. DR.. Smith had, therefore. a virgin
field In which to carry out the lines OF research
that engaged the attention Of every compe-
tent explorer.
The fact that DR.. Smiths route surveys are
always scientific and thorough gives much
value to his work. Not few OF the route maps
made by we-known explorers have been un-
worthy OF publication and all that could be
done with them was to generaize their inior.
nation on maps Of small scale. But all the
route maps DR. Smith has yet made have been
printed on the comparatively large scale Of six.
teen statute miles to the inch and they wer.
worthy of this treatment. because the surveys
and observations for position have been made
in most adequate manner 1t Is because his
maps supply materials for good ma piping OF all
the territory coming under his observation that
German geographers have given unstinted
praise TO his achievements.
1t Ia to be expected. therefore. that solid and
valuable information about this large. unknown
area will be given TO he world as soon as Dr..
Smith can arrange his materials for publlca-
ton. Nothing has been known OF the people
living In these regions and the anthropological
results Of the journey will doubtless be among
its most interesting features
In returning TO civilization DR., Smith travelled
down the Nile In an Anglo-Egyptian gunboat,
the first vessel to traverse the upper Nile since
the cutting Of the "sudd. or vegetat on that had
completely blocked navigation. Major Peake
was detailed late last year to cut away these
sudd barriers so that steamers might resume
running on the upper Nile. His method was
to cut away large blocks OF suid and send them
floating down the river. In February one Of
these areas that had been set adrift car
ried with 1t number OF steamers and
barges which were ultimately rescued
Major Peake reported late IN March
that he expected to clear away all obstruo-
tons by the end Of April. He appears b
have succeeded and after many years naviga-
ton is again resumed between the great lakes
and Khartoum. which Is now In constant COM
munication with Cairo by rail and steamer.