Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-03-10

years more has been done to
make us acquainted with the
D geography of Africa than
during the whole of the 1,70O
previous years since Ptolemy taken
together. With Mungo Park, strictly
speaking, commences the era OF I'M
ceasing endeavors to explore the in
terror The explorations of the latter
half of the nineteenth century, actu-
ated as they were by diverse motives,
are full of interest and have resulted
In giving the world a great II not en-
tirely complete knowledge Of this
vast continent.
After perusing the scores of books
on exploration, travel and sport in
Africa issued during the last dozen
years, for the most part mere shoot
ing trips, illustrated by Indifferent
photographs, In the Heart OF Africa,
by Duke Adolphus Frederick OF Neck
lenburg, is something of relief. 1t
is the record of an expedition under
taken during the years 19O7-19O8 Tor
the purpose of conducting a systemat-
ic investigation of the German East
African protectorate, the Central Al
rican Rift valley, in its expansion
from Lake Kiwu to Lake Albert NY
ANA, and finally the northeastern con-
fines of the Congo State. The expe-
dition was completed by the crossing
of Africa to the West Coast. This i'm
portant undertaking was aided finan-
cially and in other ways by the Ger
man colonial Office, the German Co
lonial company, the Royal Prussian
Academy of Sciences, and the Muse
UNI of Folklore, Berlin The vast col
lections gathered were exhibited pub
licly in Berlin last year, and were
afterwards made over to German mu-
seums and other scientific institutions.
The results obtained were astonish-
ing in quantity and Importance. Vast
districts were carefully surveyed and
mapped, including the wonderful vol
canic regions beginning at the north
ern point of Lake Kiwu; geological
explorations were Zealously and scien-
tifically conducted, and the botanical
spells comprised no less than 3,466
specimens, among which hundreds
quite new to science were discovered.
The geological work was done with
the usual German thoroughness; S34
mammals, 800 birds, 173 reptiles, 70S
fishes, 204 amphibious animals, Csc
molluscs, 1852 decapods, 1908 in
sects, 1881 arachidnae-these are
only a portion of the amazing cap
lures of the expedition. The classifi-
cation of these specimens, which IN
clude a great number of new forms,
will be the work of some years. a
considerable number Of new verte-
brates are included in the collection.
From the ethnographical-ant
ical point of view, Duke Adolf of
Mecklenburgs expedition is one OF
the most important that has ever con-
Quoted an exploration In Africa. No
less than LOTT skulls and about 1000
ethnographica were collected; $500
natives were measured among the
five thousand-odd photographs taken,
700 are of curious and important races
of savages Eighty-seven phono-
grams and 81 languages were also re-
corded.
1t is an extraordinary record,
Astounding in picturesque incident and
many dangers, and lightened here
and there by descriptions of the sue
cessful chase of elephants, lions, buff
faloes leopards and many other spe-
- h n1on of
elephants secured by the duke-shot
on the Semliki river-carried tusks
weighing SO and "a pounds apiece, and
measuring feet 31a inches and 8 feet
2A inches respectively. This mighty
elephant was nearly ending the career
of the author and one Of his native
boys, who were caught by the wound
ed beast while stuck fast in some
swampy ground. The boy was actual
" twice tossed by the monster, but,
thanks to the desperate wounds sus-
tanned by the beast, managed to es-
cape with his life. In the haunts OF
the okapi the duke and his compan-
ions soon discovered that 1t is almost
an impossibility for European to
get within shot of these shy and fur
tive creatures, amid the unfathomable
tangle of the Semliki forest. Mainly
owing to the exertions of the VAN
butti hunters, spurred on by dazzling
rewards of baksheesh, the expedition
managed to secure the skins, with the
skeletons complete, of four examples,
which appear to have been the first
brought home by any German expe-
dition Some new species of antelope
were also secured in this forest re-
gion.