Accoui'it of tha progress in

1 geography anri. exploration in 1886
J William Libbey
Smithsonian Report , 1886-87 )

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AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS

GfEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION

tN

THE YE^K 18 86

WILLIAM LIBBEY, JR.

^EOJa THE 'SMITHSONIAN* REP0:RT FO'E 188R-'87.

WASH IK GT ON:
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

GEOGEAPHY AND EXPLORATION IN 1886.

By WlIXIAJI LiBBEY, Jk.,
Professor of Physical Geography, College of Neio Jersey.

There appear to be few great regions left for the valiant explorers
of modern times except those lying at the poles. A great deal still re
mains to be done in the way of working up the details that are needed
to fill iuthe outlines of our globe's structure, which are now pretty well
known. This is very clearly seen when we contrast the two species of
activity at work in the study of Europe aud Africa ; the former might
almost be said to be known so well as to preclude all further investiga
tion, and this is true with regard to its general features, but we find
more written about its details in every way, than of any other conti
nent. In the case of Africa this sort of minute study has only begun,
but the long lines traversed by so many intrepid men are rapidly
producing a net- work which will give us a true idea of this enormous
portion of our globe, concerning which it has been well said that it is a
dark, mysterious, and sealed continent.
Europe has been properly retired from the list of the continents
which are subjects for exploration, but the exploration of its resources
and enterprises are in the fir.st full flush of development; in other
words, the history of man's modifying effect on nature has but fairly
begun to be written.
Asia and Africa have received most attention during the past .year,
though there is no lack of expeditions.of note in all the quarters of the
globe.* Asia. — The greatest explorations which have been carried on in this
continent during the past year have been those of General Prjevalski,
who returned to Moscow in January, 1886, after his fourth journey iuto
the interior. This is but one of a series of trips undertaken by him,
commencing in 1871, and he was at that time the first explorer to pene
trate these unknown regions, all other attempts having been repelled
* I have been aided very materially in the preparation of these notes by the excel
lent sketches of the progress of geography which have been published hy Maunoir,
Duveyrier & Kaltbrunner; not only in the verification of facts already knownj but
also for many records, which their greater facilities have enabled them to give.
313

£37en

314 RECORD OP SCIENCE FOR 1886.
by the fierce native tribes. A simple outline, giving the regions visited
in these several journeys, may not be amiss in this place.
The flrst voyage extended from 1871-'73, during which time he visited
and made known for the flrst time the sources of the Blue Eiver, the
Yang-tse-kiang. In his second trip he travelled through the Thian
Shan region as far as the Tarim, and then he was forced to return
through eastern Turkestan. This took place in 1876-'77. In 1878-'79,
he explored the region about Lake Zaisan and reached Tsaidam in
Thibet ; then going forward, he was stopped within 160 miles of Sadji,
He then turned his attention to the headwaters of the Hoang-ho. In
his fourth journey, begun in 1883, he again crossed these central desert
regions to the source of the Hoangho, spending the month of February,
1884. in the mountains of Thibet. In May he again passed through
Tsaidam, where he left his stores in charge of the Cossacks. The
river in this region has only a breadth of about 150 feet, which however
soon increases rapidly. The Chinese have a great veneration for the
Hoang-ho, which -is justified by its importance to the region through
which it flows. Wild animals, yaks, etc., are the only living things
found near its source, but in its lower course, when the plains are reached,
it becomes thickly settled. From these headwaters he turned farther
southward to the source of the Yang-tse-kiang. Here he again en
countered many difficulties, chief among which were the natives; they
were generally poorly armed and easily repulsed, but he was exposed
to their sudden attacks for several months.
Crossing from southern to western Tsaidam he found desert land
once more, and he was glad to reach a small town called Gas, even
though he was forced to take the most impracticable routes. Here
he remained three months, and then passed on to western Thibet, where
he discovered three new mountain ranges. On his return to Gas he
passed through these mountains once more, going to Loto on his way.
In this place he was received kindly by the inhabitants, who seem to be
of Turkish origin. He received the same treatment from the natives of
western China and eastern Turkestan.
This part of the country is described in the most favorable terms. It
seems to have a warm and agreeable climate, to be very fertile, and winter
is scarcely known. All the surrounding nations are represented here —
Chinese, Mongolians, Arabians, and Hindoos. Going farther, another
desert region was crossed, which was dotted here and there with oases;
that of Tchertchen was found to contain the remains of an ancient and
forgotten village ; the Oasis of Potam is described as very fertile, and
he is the first explorer who has followed and described the course of
the Eiver Potam. This river arises iu a marsh in the midst of the desert,
and has a length of about 120 miles; after following it he passed
across the Eiver Tarlm and then went to the oasis of Akson. From
this spot he crossed the Thian Shan mountains to Sekoul, where his
journey ended.

GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 315
Potanine and Skassi spent the greater part of the year in making
ethnographic and topographic studies near Sinin und around Lake
Koko nor, on the border lands between China proper and Thibet.
In southern Arabia we have had most interesting results from the
voyage of Glaser. He crossed from Hodeida, on the Eed Sea, to Sana,
a voyage not so noted for its length as for the difficulties encountered.
He has only been preceded by three Europeans (Niebuhr, 1763 ; Armand,
1843 ; and Halevy, 1870). This is one of the most famous portions of
southern Arabia in ancient times.
Professor Eutiug, of Strasburg, has also published this year an ac
count of the journey (made in 1883-'84) from Damascus to Nefond and
from there to Mecca by a hitherto untraversed route.
A good map of central Syria has been published by Dr. Diener, which
embodies the results of his studies around Damascus, Baalbec, south
ern Lebanon, and Palmyra.
The great cartographer H. Kiepert has been travelling through Asia
Minor with the object of completing his map of that portion of the con
tinent by the aid of original investigations and the unpublished docu
ments to be found at Constantinople. As yet, however, nothing has
been published.
Dr. Elisseiew has started on a journey across Asior Minor to Armenia
and Kourdistan by way of Alexandretta and Aleppo.
The party, composed of Potanine, Skassi, and Beresovski, which has
explored a considerable part of southern Mongolia and northwestern
China, continued their work in the spring, and started on their return
across the desert of Gobi by a route lying between Sogok-Nor and the
eastern ramifications of the Altai Mountains.
There has been another expedition in Thibet which deserves men
tion. The English explorer Carey has passed through western Thibet.
From Leh, in Cashmir, he went to Khotan, then, following the course
of the Tarim, he reached Lob Nor towards the end of April, and pro
posed to return by the north of China.
Another expedition, which was known as the Macaulay mission, has
been ordered back because of the opposition of the Chinese Govern
ment. It was to have gone to Lhassa, crossing Sikkim and Japela
Pass. Upper Assam has been visited by Colquhoun, but no reports have
been received from him concerning the region lying between Birmah
and Assam. The border line of British India has been very carefully
and energetically mapped by the English topographers, who were sent
there for the purpose.
In the French possessions of Indo-China, the investigations of Eev-
eillere and Presigny have demonstrated that the rapids, heretofore con
sidered insurmountable difiQculfcies, can be passed by small steamers, as
they went as high as Khong, on the Mekong river. The boundary com
mission have been at work in the North, near Laokai, where they have

316 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886.
nearly finished their work on tho border between Yun-nafi and Tong-
kiiig. They have beeu.much interrupted by the piratical attacks ofthe
natives. Capus, Bonvalot, and Pepin have continued their travels in the trans-
Caspian district and Turkestan. They always hoped to be able to cross
the Afghan boundary, but have been unable to do so. After reaching
the sacred city of Meshed, this season they decide d to go at any risk,
and started for Balkh. They were cai)tured, safely returned to the bor
der, and left on the other side in a very emphatic but respectful man
ner. They have explored the regions about Merv and Samarkand and
have followed the course of the Artiu-Daria.
The Eu.ssiau Government sent out a party under Dr. Eadde to ex
amine into the resources of the new trans Caspian territory. They
were detaiuLd at Askabad by a tardy spring. They profited by the de
lay to explore the mountains on the EnssoPersian frontier. At Merv
he was joined by Koutchine. From this point they went along the Mur-
ghab to the frontier of Afghanistan, and then followed the boundary to
Saraklis and then to Askabad, studying the five parallel mountain
chains on the border of the new Eussian provinces. ,
Mr. and Mme. Dieulafoy are still continuing their researches in
Persia, Chaklea, and Susiania, and although their work is mainly
archaeological, it contains much of interest to the geographer. At this
time the interest centers in the description of their return trip from
Susa to Bassorah.
Persia has also been crossed by Captain Gore of the Afghanistan
boundary commission. He was accompanied by a party of native to
pographers, and starting from the Oxus he traveled through Herat,
Burjum, and then across the desert of Luth to Kerman; here the latest
news was received from him, and his objective point was Bunder Abbas
at the month ofthe Persian Gulf.
The Eussian Government sent an expedition this year into easter'h
Pamir to study the botany of the region. It was the expedition of
GrumGrzymailo, and failed to reach the higher, portions of the Pamir
on account of bad weather.
The English government of India represented by Lord Dufferin sent
Ney to Kashgar and Yarkand in 1885. The explorations of Ney in
Central Asia have already made him famous. In this instance he
profited by the occasion to cross that portion of the Pamir which has
been considered inaccessible heretofore, and reached the headwaters
of the Amu Daria. He then explored the regions of Eoshan and Shigh-
nan," which had only been visited by the pundits previously. After this
he passed through Badakshan,and then reaching the English boundary
commission in Afghanistan, went to Ladak, where he has resided for
some time.
The Hindoo Koosh range was also crossed by Colonel Lockhart. Near
the southern sources of the Arau.Daria he passed through Badakshan,

GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 317
after which he regained his starting point at Gilgit after having made
topographical studies of some importance.
Africa. — Tho continent of Africa is becoming better known every
year, but at the cost of many lives ; in fact it is hard to tell whether
the polar regions oppose more difiScnlties to overcome in exploration
than these equatorial regions or not. Both parts of the globe have
great natural obstacles to be overcome, but those found near the equa
tor are intensified by the stubbornness, jealousy, and tricky dispositions
of the natives. Thus each year a new list of victims to their barbarity
has to be prepared, but this does not seem to prevent men risking their
lives in the exploration of the dark continent.
Eobecchi of Cairo has started across the Libyan desert from the Nile
to Tripoli. The latest news from him was to the effect that he had
reached the Oasis of Siwah safely.
Italy seems to be studying the eastern portion of Africa very care
fully just at present; at least there are a large number of Italiiin voy
agers iu Shoa and Abyssinia this year. It is said that the object of
their trip, commercial or political enterprises, forces them to remain
quiet concerning all they observe, and therefore they have not published
much. The names of some of these explorers are Antonelli, Martini,
Plana, E.igazzi, Salembeni, Traversi, etc. Other travellers who have
had secret missions have been able to impart valuable information to
geographers without committing auy indiscretions, as, for example.
Captain Longbois, who has given a very attractive description of his
voyage to Shoa where he visited King Menelik, and it is hoped that
our Italian friends will soon follow his example.
Another very fatal portion of Africa is the extreme eastern part near
the Eed Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The list of those who have lost their
lives in thi.s region is quite long already, ami this year we must add the
massacre of the Italian expedition under Porro at Haiar, also of that
under Barral at Shoa, the death of Paul Sollellet, the French explorer,
at Aden, as the result of the hardships of his trip to Kaffa aud Shoa,
and then the complete destruction of the crew of a French man-of-war
in the Gulf of Tajurrah. In spite of all this the Italian voyager Franzoi
will make an attempt to reach Kaffa and the great lakes by the way of
Zanzibar, and is fitting out an expedition to make his proposed trip.
When the insurrection in Egypt under the Mahdi broke out Dr.
Schnitzler (Emin Bey) was governor of the equatorial provinces, in
the service of the Khedive, and was stationed at Lado, He was not
only noted for his activity as an officer, but also as an explorer. This
man, and those who supported him, were thus penned up, and for a long
time no news came from them, for communication in the direction of
Egypt was thus cut off. At the same time the state of affairs to the
south and east was hardly less favorable. Between the Soudan aud
the Indian Ocean we flnd the kingdom of Ougauda, ruled over at prest
ent by Mwanga, a very unworthy successor to Mtesa, who always aided

318 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886.
the white men who passed through his realm. This latter tyrant how
ever has either intercepted all the messages or killed the messengers
sent to Emin Bey. He ordered the massacre of the caravan of the
unfortunate English Bishop Harrington, to the eastof Victoria Nyanza,
near Kavirando, and seems determined that no one shall approach his
state or pass through it. Dr. Fischer was prevented from going around
Victoria Nyanza to aid the party of Emin Bey and they were not al
lowed to escape from the Soudan. The Khedive aud the English au
thorities have ignored these indications of blind hatred, or they would
not have turned this governor over to himself and left him to become
the victim of their political mistakes. Fortunately Emin Bey did not
lose his head in this serious state of things, but immediately joined
forces with Dr. Junker, who has been exploring this region since 1879,
and Captain Oasati, who has been travelling along theUelle, — the two
other Europeans who were in the country. Their position at Lado was
at flrst untenable and they retreated to the south with a handful of
devoted men ; since then reports have been received stating that Emin
Bey made an aggressive move and had regained Lado. Dr. Junker then
forced his way to the coast with messages from Emin Bey, in spite ofthe
obstacles placed in his way by Mwauga, although at flrst he seemed to
have been made a captive in Ounyoro. This distingushed explorer
must have made many valuable observations during his long stay which
will be very useful in completing our maps of this district. Expeditions
are being fltted out for the relief of Emin Bey and Casati. The whole
district about Lakes Bangweolo and Moero has been most thoroughly
exhausted by the expeditions of Boehme, Eeichard, and Giraud.
A new and easy route to the head of Lake Nyassa has been found
by Pfeil, who has been traveling along the Ulanga, which is a large
tributary of the Lufiji. Eevoil left Zanzibar for Lake Tanganyika last
year and only succeeded in reaching Tabora, about two-thirds of the
distance to the lake.
The only important expedition between the coast and Lake Nyassa
was that of Serpa Pinto and Cardoso, who were able to found the
station of Blantyre, on the Shire, after several attempts.
Dr. Fischer, in spite of all his efforts to reach Dr. Junker, only suc
ceeded in reaching Victoria Nyanza, and was unable to traverse
Uganda or go around the lake, and there is no doubt but that the trials
of this trip helped to bring about the premature death of this intrepid
traveler at the age of thirty -eight. He died suddenly on his return to
Berlin, November 11, 1886. There are some other prisoners in this
Nyanza region who do not dare to move from Uganda without per
mission from the king, viz, the two missionaries, Mackey and Lomdel.
The expedition under Liviuhac is also detained at the south of the
lake, waiting more favorable conditions to advance to the north.
A very rapid trip across the continent from Stanley Falls to Zanzi
bar was made by Gleerup. He was materially aided by Tipu-tip, a

GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 319
powerfnl chief, and passed through Nyangwe, then Ujiji, on Lake
Tanganyika, then Bagamoyo, and reached Zanzibar in five months,
making too quick a journey to add much to our geographical knowl
edge of the regions crossed.
Dr. Lenz, the famous explorer, who was sent to the aid of Dr. Junker,
was detained at Stanley Falls by circumstances beyond his control
until April, 1886, when he left for Nyangwe and Tanganyika. In
the mean time Dr. Junker virtually became a captive, and the lot of
Dr. Lenz has become a source of inquietude because he is doubtless
completely in the power of Arabs hostile to Europeans. Dr. Lenz
was accompanied by Dr. Baumann and Bohndorff, the faithful com
panion of Dr. Junker. He seems to have given up the possibility of
reaching the valley of the Uelle through that of the Mobangi (the
connection only existing on some fancifully constructed maps). At
first he intended traveling up the Aruwimi, but later news from the
captives, which led him to believe that they were on the eastern side
of Albert Nyanza, determined him to give the preference to the Mbura
route. The best and clearest resum6 of the work of all investigators of the
affluents of the Congo has been given in Petermaun's Mitteilungen, 1886,
IX and XI, by v. Fran9ois. It embodies the work of Grenfell, Kund,
Tappenbeck, Wissmann, Wolf, and himself, among others. The year has
been rather poor in results as far as the basin of the main river Congo
has been concerned. Many travelers have passed up the river as far as
Stanley Falls, among them Lenz, Bove, v. Schwerin, etc., but nothing
new has been pointed out. In January, 1886, Kund and Tappenbeck
found thatthe Ikata enters the Kassai just before this latter river enters
the Congo. There is still considerable doubt concerning the lower
course of the Kwango, one of the main southern branches of the Congo,
and it is to be regretted that the travels of Massari and Buttner do not
throw any new light on the subject, because their itineraries agree and
disagree in the most peculiar manner.
Lieutenants Kund and Tappenbeck have traveled over portions of the
Kwango, Kassai, and Sankuru. They found two new tributaries of the
Kwango, viz, the Wambu and the Sale, •which latter empties into the
Kuilu before it joins the Kwango. None of their guides would follow
them beyond the Kassai, and on reaching the Sankuru with boats and
travelling along it they turned eastward through prairies and dense
forests. On their return they discovered a new and impottant river,
the Ikatta, which reaches the Congo under the name of Mflni. This
latter river Stanley believes is the outlet of Lake Leopold II.
Lieutenant Wissmann has descended the Kassai, and the result has
been the complete revolutionizing of our previous ideas of its course.
He has gone still further eastward to Lake Lanji, the great basin from
which the Congo flows and into which the great rivers, the Lualoba,
the Luapala, and the Luflra, empty.

320 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886.
In this connection it might be well to mention the fact that Grenfell
and V. Frangois have been travelling up the various tributaries, one
after another, as far as their little vessel could go, and have been re
naming them all.
The Kingdom of Muata Yamvo, so well described by Pogge, has been
recently visited by de Carvalho on a political mission from Portugal, in
which he is said to have been successful.
After a while we may get some definite idea of the limits of the re
gions of this continent, concerning which almost all the various nations
of Europe have been contending. The International Boundary Com
mission have been having a difficult time locating the artificial limits
of these so'called states, which are sometimes marked by problematical
rivers. The members of the French Commission, Eouvier and Ballay,
and those of the Congo Free State, ascended the Congo, trying to find
the mouth of the Licona, which was to be the boundary according to
the terms of the Berlin treaty. They reached the Bunga without find
ing the Licona, and here the delegates of the two states signed a de
claration which states " that the Licona of the maps aud of the treaty
is nothing more than the Bunga."
French Congo has been explored by J. De Brazza, who passed down
the Sekoli from a point near its source, for some distance, and then
traveled to the north and eastward. They intended going down the
river to its juncture with the Congo on their return, but the natives
would not suppljr them with canoes. They made boats for themselves,
and after a month's hard work reached the junction of the Sekoli and
Ambili. Later along they reached the Congo, and then made their way
back to the coast from Bunga station by way of the Alima and Ogowe.
In South Africa the only expedition now in the field is that of Dr.
Holnb. There have been many explorations in previous years which
we are just commencing to hear from ; for example, that of Capello aud
Ivens, which extended from coast to coast ; that of Montague Kerr from
Cape Colony to the Zambesi and Lake Nyassa ; that of Schulze to Lake
Ngami, aud more recently that of Farini across the Kalahari Desert to
Lake Ngami. A rather energetic aud carefully-planned expedition to the
Lower Niger and the Sokoto was made by Thomson last year. They
steamed up these rivers as far as they could go, with their caravan al
ready mounted, on board the vessel which carried them, aud, when they
could go no further, landed and were off' before the natives knew what
was going on or could recover from the surprise. Their object was to
conclude treaties with the sultans of Hansa. Their promptness prob
ably saved their lives, but all their papers aud baggage were lost. The
lower portion of the Niger is held by the English nation, who control all
the commerce of this region from their station at tho junction ofthe
Niger and the Bonne A German station has been founded at Bakundi
by Flegel, (he explorer of the Torraba. The upper part of the river has
been carefully explored by Davoust, for, although previously studied by

GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 321
Caill6 and Park, it was but partially known. For a long time Lake
Liba has had a location and a name on the maps, but thej- have served
as a sort of ignis fatuu,s, for it defies all attempts to reach it, if it exists,
aud this seems more problematical than ever in spite of the efforts of
Eogozinski and Parsavant, who announced their intention of visiting it.
The northwest coast of Africa, never very hospitable, has been keep
ing up its reputation during the past year. The attempt of the Ger
man Commercial Geographical Society at Berlin to establish a station
at Cape Nun came very near ending fatally to all concerned. The
party were left on the shore, and after wandering in the most wretched
condition from one tribe to the next, they were at last escorted to the
coast at Mogador. There have been several expeditions across Mo
rocco, and some from ALeria, and many errors and defects have been
corrected in our maps. Many of the routes between the leading towns
of this district have been shown to be practicable, but our map is far
from complete. The work of Maurel, de la Martinierc, Duveyrier,
Foncault, aud Quedenfeldt has been important for this reason, that
their travels have made us better acquainted with a region of the globe
which, though it is quite near Europe, has been virtually sealed to the
white man by the fanaticism and ferocity of the natives. Thus the
slopes of the Atlas Eange, which are not so very distant from the coast,
are almost an unknown region.
We have received what is probably an exaggerated account of Adrar
from the Spanish expedition under Cervera which started from Eio di
Ouro. They reached their destination nearly in a dying condition after
many hardships aud after being robbed of nearly everything, and conse
quently their picture ofthe region hardly agrees with that of Vincent
and Panet, who describe it as a most delightful place, comparing it
with the most favored portions of Switzerland.
Tinibuctu is again exciting attention, and expeditions have started
from nortli and south to reach this city. Among these might be men
tioned the party under Gallieni and Viard along the upper course of
the Niger. They were only forced to return by lack of water at Djenne.
The party under Dr. Krause promises interesting results, because they
travelled through regions as yet unexplored. We have to chronicle
here the assassination of Palat, who left Algeria for this point and was
treacherously murdered on the road.
The Cameroon region has been more carefully studied and explored
since it has come under the German protectorate. Dr. Schwarz, Pauli,
Langhaus, Zoller, Valdau, and Knutson have been the main explorers
of the slopes of the mountains, while the many streams which enter the
Atlantic from this range have been examined by the Government
authorities. SchwaTz, Valdau, and Knutson passed beyond the mount
ains, and describe the region visited as a fertile and pleasant one, and
not a desert as was supposed. The mountains are described as pecul
iarly beautiful, with peaks reaching 12,000 and 13,000 feet.
H. Mis. 600  21

322 RECORD OP SCIENCE FOR 1886.
More was expected from the trip of de Oca, Osorio, and Tradierin their
trip to the Corisco coast, to the south of this region. They visited
probably the most glorious portion of this western coast between the
Campo and Mouni Elvers, but their descriptions are disappointing.
Nortli America. — The only portions of North America which seem
to be left for great geographical discoveries are Alaska and the central
and western portions of British America. The work of the Coast Sur
vey and the Geological Survey is rapidly giving us the detail of most
of our vast western territory. Alaska alone seems comparatively neg
lected, except along the coast-line, on account of its peculiar position.
The expedition sent out under Lieutenant Schwatka by the New York
Times to the Mount Saint Elias Alps, visited that part of Alaska which
is nearest the United States but which is least-known, having been seen
but once by the Coast Survey, in 1874, and then under disadvantages.
The party succeeded in crossing the large glaciers which come from the
great arc of mountains (of which Mount Saint Elias is the center) and
which pass between the range and the coast. They ascended the lower
slopes of one of the adjacent mountains, but did not reach the main
slopes of the mountain.
Ou this same southern shore ofthe body of Alaska, Lieutenant Allen
completed his explorations of the Copper Eiver and theTananah, the
largest-branch of the Yukon. Lieutenant Stoney has explored the west
ern coast of Alaska between the Kowak Eiver and Point Barrow, after
wintering at Fort Cosmos, on Kowak Eiver, which he discovered in 1883.
In central British America, Hudson's Bay has attracted most atten
tion, on accoiint of the proposed scheme of making Hudson's Straits
the outlet for all the great grain districts to the south and west of the
bay. Lieutenant Gordon has found that the straits are always open
from July to October, which fact seems to encourage the promoters of the
plan to compete in this way with our transcontinental railways. The
whole affair appears to be very visionary, but may be carried out after all.
Our knowledge of Central America has been somewhat increased by
the archaeological voyages of Pinart to Chiriqui and of Charnay to Yu
catan. We have also the details of the Nicaragua route between the
two oceans.
South America. — This is a continent which still merits explorations,
and those of the present year have been quite successful iu disclosing
many new features, though some of the expeditions have of course suf
fered. Beginning at the north, we find the expedition of Dr. Siewers
in Venezuela is completed this year by a trip to the Sierra Nevadas of
Santa Marta. He has now spent some three years in Venezuela, and
all have been profitable.
The explorations of Tenkate in the Guianas have been resumed thisyear.
He reached the State of Bolivar, on the Orinoco, then went to Cumana
the peninsula of Araya, and after this to La Guayra and Caracas. Here
he suffered from fever to such an extent that he had to stop work.

GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 323
A new scientific exj^edition has been iu Venezuela this year, under
the leadership of Chaffanjou, already well known by his explorations.
The object of the expedition was to reach tho headwaleis of the Orinoco.
After a stay in Bolivar, he set out with his conipauious, JMorisot and
four men engaged as rowers, but his men deserted hiin during the night,
carrying off the canoe and some provisions. They secured a new crew
of two men, at a high price, aud worked themselves, in order to continue
the trip. The floods had driven all game from the river banks, and
they were thus deprived of meat iu tho way of food which hunting
would have given them. For several days they were forced to live upon
roots. They reached Caicara, the point where the Apure joins the Ori
noco, and stopped there, overcome by hunger and fatigue. The swollen
current of the river, greatly increased by the heavy rains, prevented
their proceeding farther.
The South American continent has been (jrossed from east to west
by two Europeans during the present year. Olivier (French consul to
Callao) was the flrst to accomi)lish this feat. Starting from Callao he
crossed the Andes and descended the main streams to the Atlantic
coast, whereas Payer ascended the Amazon (Marafion-Ucayali), and then
crossed the Peruvian Andes. He has prepared a map of many of the
smaller tributaries which he explored. Both voyages have been the
means of adding considerably to our knowledge of the geographical and
hydrographic features of the central portion of South A.merica.
A commission has been appointed by Brazil, Paraguay, and the Ar
gentine Eepublic to explore that portion of the Argentine Eepublic
which projects in between Paraguay and the Brazilian province of Eio
Grande do Sui, with the' object of determiningfhe respective frontiers.
Two preliminary voyages have been made here byNederlein andGodio.
Very little is known of this jirovince, which has been called tho Mis
sion Territory because of the missions founded there by the Jesuits
with the idea of civilizing the Indians.
Thenar is still actively engaged upon bis explorations in the Argen
tine Eepublic and Bolivia. He had scarcely returned from his voyage
on the Pilcomayo when ho started out from Buenos Ayres to meet the
Bolivian ambassadors at Tarija in order to consult as to the best way
of opening the navigation of the Pilcomayo. It was his intention at
flrst to go by the way of the Gran Chaco region once more, with some
natives, but after careful consideration he decided to take tho less dan
gerous route through Tucuman, Salta, and Jujuy. He was retarded by
the rains and when he reached Tarija ho did not find the ambassadors,
as he expected, and he found that Bolivia was not in a condition to
prove there was a practicable fluviatile route to the heart of theircoun-
try, by tracing the course of the Pilcomayo to the Paraguay. The
hardships endured on tin's trip were remarkable. They were deserted by
their men, aud thej^ often lost their way in the mountain labyrinths.
Their burdens were heavy, and it is scarcely any wonder that thefatigue

324 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886.
of the trip under such conditions brought on fever which forced them
to stop and rest.
The Argentine Eepublic has undertaken to explore the region between
the Pilcomayo and the Vermejo, and has sent out an expedition under
de Bretfes, accompanied by Boisviers and Eobin with an escort of
twenty men. Viscount de Brettes has been iu this region before, and
therefore we may expect thorough work from his party.
Chili is at present engaged in the official exploration of the territory
ceded by Peru after the war. The desert of Atacama is also being
studied, and an expedition has been sent to Tierra del Fuego to examine
the gold-bearing strata said to have been recently discovered there.
A real voyage of discovery has been made in Patagonia, this year by
Colonel Fontana, the governor of the Chupat Territory. His brilliant
expedition to the eastern slopes of the Andes is to be followed by a
minute exploration of the regions which he could only cross at a very
rapid rate. All that is known of the beautiful vallej^s which lie at the
foot ofthe Andes, beyond the desolate and arid Pampas, rests upon the
descriptions of native hunters, because, with the single exception of the
hasty visit of an English marine by the name of Musters, in 1869, no
one has ever visited this region. The reality seems not-only to answer
the description, but to surpass all our conceptions of its possibilities.
These valleys are said to be picturesque, fertile, and well watered, and
form a complete contrast with the monotonous Pampas which must be
crossed to reach them.
One expedition to Tierra del Fuego has been already noted. The
Argentine Eepublic, which owns the other half of this region, has also
sent out a mining expedition to exploit the recently discovered gold.
The distinguished geographer Lista is also traveUing in Tierra del
Fuego, and much that is valuable concerning this wild land can be ex
pected from his report.
Australia and Oceania. — Lindsay, who explored the Arnheim penin
sula in 1883, has crossed the Australian continent. He travelled from
southern Australia toward Lake Eyre in order to study the course of
theFinke Eiver. He finds that in the rainy season it empties into the
Treuer or Macumba Eiver, which is the main northern tributary of Lake
Eyre, but in the dry season it loses itself in the sand. From this point
he went eastward to the Herbert Eiver, which led him to the north,
and he studied this river carefully, passing from it to the Arthur
Eiver, which carried him to the Gulf of Carpentaria, thus making his
trip from the south to the north, across the continent, complete. New
Guinea seems to have treated -all explorers badly this year, the expedi
tion of Forbes not even excepted. This party, fitted out with the great
est care for scientific work, intended to cross the Owen-Stanley mount
ains and explore the regions beyond. They were delayed iu reaching
the base of operations, and when they got there tho season was so far
advanced that the trip was given up for the time being, and the party

GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 325
remained at Sogere, waiting for a favorable opi)ortnnity. Their means
became exhausted, but not wishing to leave tho island without at least
seeing that part of it he came to explore, Forbes, accompanied by a Mr.
Chambers, undertook a. trip to the top of the Owen Mountains, but
they were deserted by their guides, and were forced to regain' the coast
with all speed. They have returned to Australia in the hope of finding
aid to enable them to undertake the trip once more.
Dallmanu and v. Schlenitz have ascended the Empress Augusta
Eiver some 190 miles from its mouth.
The German expedition under Dr. Schrader has limited its explora
tions to the neighborhood of Port Finch, the capital of their colony of
Kaiser Wilhelm's Land.
Polar Regions. — Lieutenants Eyder and Block have charge of the
Danish expedition to Greenland. They expect to visit the coast from
Upernavik to Melville Bay and are accompanied by the geologist Us-
sing. Captain Hovgaardhas started out to reach 77° north latitude on
the east coast at the same time, and the " Fylla" expedition has been
examining the coast from the extreme southern point to Upernavik the
last inhabited point to the northward.
Iceland has been crossed twice this year. Dr. Labonne has traversed
the island from south to north in the central portion. Oil his way he
ascended Mount Hecla, to which he assigns an elevation of 5,227 feet
above the sea. Thoroddseu has been continuing the geological studies
already begun in the northwestern portion ofthe island, and has reached
Cape North.
There is a plan on foot for an expedition to Nova Zembla, the main
object of which will be the measurement of the attractive force of the
earth, but geographical explorations will also form i^art of their work.
This effort is being made by Colonel Chamhorst.
The Liakof of Islands and the five islands ofthe New Siberia group
have been visited by Bunge and v. Toll, who crossed the ice which
unites these islands with the continent on sleds.
But one ofthe many expeditions planned to reach the North Pole has
actually started. Colonel Gilder left Winnipeg for Hudson Bay with
the idea of reaching the eastern coast of Baffin's Land from this place
and then take a whaler if possible to Cape Sabine and winter there,
after which he intended to start directly north for the pole. Colonel
Gilder has returned to Winnipeg, having been unable to cross Hudson
Bay on account of the lateness ofthe season. This expedition was sent
out by the New York Herald.
A very interesting expedition is being organized for the exploration
of the regions, somewhat neglected up to the present time, which lie
around the South Pole. The impulse in this direction was given by the
Australian Societies, and appears to have found an echo in England
where active steps are being taken to secure the funds necessary for
such an exploration.

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