The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-31

The presentation of the badge of
Menelik's esteem was accompanied b.
an invitation to visit the country. and
the correspondence which followed re-
suited in proposition from the Ameri-
can to explore the region about the
Blue Nile and to test the navagability
of that almost uncharted stream from
Lake Tsada to the junction of the Blue
with the White Nile. Menelik not only
promised his countenance and aid, but
assigned a company of 100 trusted sol
diers, guides, and carriers to help or de-
fend the caravan Mrs. Macmillan,
whose migration had been stirred by
her husbands first venture into Abys-
sinia. insisted upon making one of the
party, and her huspaho reluctahtly
consented.
One hundred camels were required
to carry the explorers and their equip
ment across the desert, and Mrs: Mac
MILAN quickly adapted herself TO the
unusual method of travel and
even came to enjoy II. Three weeks
were spent hunting rhinoceroses, and,
although she does not claim to have
killed any of the great beasts that were
slain in the morasses. she rode con-
stantly with the party and witnessed
the killing of two of the thick skinned
monsters and of three tigers
Floating Down the Blue Nile.
But the real hardships Of the journey
came after the caravan had left Ads
| Abcda for Lake Tsada, where the Sc
rious business of the enterprise was TO
begin Twenty collapsable steel boats
| had been lugged across Abyssinia. and
| Il had been planned TO float down the
blue Nile. which has It's origin in Lake
Tsada. It was believed that the rainy
season had ended when the vessels
| were launched and loaded, but a vio-
lent tropical storm swept down from
tho hills. and before any defenses could
be made tho stores and provisions of
the larty were delused with water
three of the boats were swamped. and
one of the natives who tried to capture
an unmoored launch was drowned.
The notilla finally set forth upon its
long drift down the Blue Nile. and for
the first hundred miles. with the eXcep-
ton of numerous portaEes, the pest of
insects. and the nCht attacks of wild
beasts all went well. The plan Of tho
MacMIlans was 10 examine the whole
course of the river from the lake, whCl
Is 5000 feet above sea level. to its corr
huence with the White Nile near Khar-
tum Charts were 20 be made. ex =
amples Of the fora and fauna were to
be assembled. and photographs made
Of all the points Of scientific or scenic
interest that might be found. A Brit
fish gunboat was to have met the OK
petition somewhere in the greater river
ihrlow Khartum. and the British repre-
sentative AZ the capital of Abyssinia
Joined the rqrtv at Adis Abeda.
waterfall Ten Miles Long.
Mrs Macmillan describes the seem
cry through which the Blue Nile
flows below Lake Tsada as wildly rug
ged and singuarly beautiful But Of
| this part of the journey she has the
least kindly membranes, for the
travellers were obliged to leave their
boats at frequent intervals. and most
of the toll danger, and the suffering
of the expedition concentrated upon
this part of the undertaking. At one
point within a hundred miles of the
| headwa tars the river becomes almost
A waterfall for a distance of almost ten
miles Down an activity of almost A.
degrees the water rushes boiling ov-
er rocks, darting between narrow
walls. and roaring with a noise that
can be heard ten miles away, Past all
the falls and rapids the heavy laden
boats had to dragged with almost in