majestic proportions. The article and the map were published in Dr. Petermann's "Mittheilungen," not without some strictures both by the editor and by Mr. Cooley. In the opinion of these competent critics, the missionaries had probably attributed undue accuracy to the story of the natives, or at least had not made enough allowance for the negro propensity to exaggerate, which seems to be as marked a characteristic in Africa as it is in "Cottonia." Dr. Petermann pared away as much as he well could from the missionary reports, and gave the probable dimensions of the lake as extending from 7° to 12° South Latitude, and from 221° to 301° East Longitude from Greenwich, thus reducing it to one-third the size which had been stated by Rebmann. He so represented it in a little supplementary sketch attached to the chart of Rebmann and Erhardt.

As might be expected, the publication of this memoir and map awakened very general attention. Though regarded as only partly correct, and preliminary to more accurate data, they were still characterized by Dr. Petermann as interesting in the highest degree. The full publication about the same time of the widely extended researches of Dr. Barth, in the north of Africa, and of Dr. Livingstone in the south, greatly quickened a desire, upon the part of geographical students and of the intelligent public, to know something more about the region between the fields explored by these two renowned travelers, and especially in respect to the great Inner Sea.

It was not long before a competent explorer offered to solve the problem if it were possible, and at least to undertake a journey to the central portions of Africa, going inland in a westerly direction from the coast opposite Zanzibar. Major Burton, well known at that time by his account of a visit to El Medinah and Mecca, an officer in the East Indian Service of Her Majesty, was commissioned by the Royal Geographical Society, under the patronage of the British Government, to go and see if he could not set the vexed question straight. Captain Speke, who had been a previous fellow traveler of his, became associated with him in the new expedition. In

setting out upon this journey, the supreme contempt which Burton felt for Erhardt's statements is an amusive contrast to the kindly reception which they had met in Germany. "Mr. Erhardt," he says, "an energetic member of the hapless Mombas mission, had, on his return to London, offered to explore a vast mass of water about the size of the Caspian, which, from the information of divers "natives," he had deposited in slug or leech shape in the heart of intertropical Africa, thus prolonging the old Maravi or Moravian lake of Portuguese travelers and school atlases, to the north of the equator, and thus bringing a second deluge upon sundry provinces and kingdoms thoroughly well known for the last half century."

Major Burton left England in September, 1856. In June, of the next year, he set out from the coast of Africa (opposite Zanzibar) for the interior, going nearly due west. In February, 1858, he reached the famous lake, which he found called not Nyassa, nor Ukerewe, nor Uniamesi, but Tanganika. He thus describes his first view of the lake. Having climbed a steep and stony hill, by a journey so fatiguing that the animals refused to proceed, the party halted on the summit. "What is that streak of light which lies below?" he enquired of Seedy Bombay, (one of his negro porters). "I am of opinion," quoth Bombay, "that that is the water." "I gazed in dismay," says Burton; "the remains of my blindness, the vail of trees, and a broad ray of sunshine illuminating but one reach of the lake, had shrunk its fair proportions. Somewhat prematurely I began to lament my folly in having risked life and lost health for so poor a prize, to curse Arab exaggeration, and to propose an immediate return with the view of exploring another lake, of which we had been informed by the natives, to the north, and called the Nyanza." But advancing a few yards farther, the broad expanse of the lake, varying in breadth from thirty to thirty-five miles, burst upon his view," as it lay in the lap of the mountains, basking in the gorgeous, tropical sunshine." At last, European eyes had fallen upon the long hidden waters. Admiral Beechey, as President of the Geographical Society, had promised "immor

tality" to the fortunate explorer who should first gain the shore of the mysterious lake, and if the Admiral could bestow it, Burton would certainly command the prize. The party remained in the neighborhood of the lake long enough to sail across it in two directions, going nearly to its northern terminus, and gaining some general information respecting its extent toward the south, but unfortunately the native boatmen were so unmanageable that all careful exploration of the shores was quite impracticable. Major Burton estimates the total length of the lake at two hundred and fifty miles, its breadth at an average of twenty, making the circumference about five hundred and fifty miles, and the area about five thousand miles. The altitude of the lake he estimated at one thousand eight hundred and fifty feet above the sea level. The water was sweet and pure, contrasting most pleasantly with the sweet and bitter wells which had been visited on the line of march. He also believed that the lake receives and absorbs the whole river system of that portion of the central African depression. No affluent was discovered, and Burton accounts for the sweetness of the water by the supposition that the evaporation and supply balance each other. There seems to be good reason, however, for questioning this conclusion. The general position of the lake suggested to him "(as in the case of the Dead Sea) the idea of a volcano of depression; not like the Nyanza, a vast reservoir formed by the drainage of mountains."

From Arab merchants, Major Burton had learned, as we have already mentioned, that north of Tanganika, the lake just described, there was another larger lake, known as Nyanza. Captain Speke was detailed to go in search of it. After a few days' journey he came upon its southern terminus. He found that it lay about two thousand feet higher above the sea level than Lake Tanganika, i. e. at an elevation of about three thousand eight hundred and fifty feet. The point thus visited by Speke lies not far from three hundred and fifty miles to the east of the northern point of the Tanganika. The longitude of the Lake Nyanza is very nearly 32° 47', and its southern end was fixed at 2° 30' south. Speke estimated

the breadth of the lake as ninety miles at its southern end, but he obtained no trusty information respecting its dimensions towards the north. He went up a mountain and looked off, but could see nothing but "a vast interior sheet of water," which the Arabs told him extended for upwards of three hundred miles. To the native name Nyanza, Captain Speke added the name of his sovereign, and the lake is now called the Victoria Nyanza.

An account of the discovery of these lakes was presented to the Royal Geographical Society of London, and published as a volume of their journal. Major Burton has expanded his story still more and issued it as a popular book of travels. But in both places we look in vain for so much definite information as we had a right to expect respecting the specific object of his journey, the position and dimensions of the lakes. As an apology for this, however, it should be borne in mind that the head of the expedition suffered severely during a considerable part of his journey from fever-enough to have warranted him, and to have forced almost any one else, to give up altogether.

It only remains for us to notice the expeditions now in progress, from which we may look for further information re. specting the inland lakes.

1. Before the return of Burton and Speke, we began to receive intelligence from Dr. Livingstone's new expedition on the Zambesi, and we are now, from time to time, receiving important news from him. He has traced a branch of the Zambesi, the Shiré, to its origin in a lake about ninety miles long, the Shirwa, separated, he says, by an isthmus from Lake Nyassa, or Nyanizi. He could obtain no satisfactory information respecting the length of the latter. Dr. Livingstone estimated the level of the lakes which he visited, to be about one thousand eight hundred feet above the sea level, which gives it the same elevation as the Tanganika. The question very naturally arises, whether the two are not connected either as portions of the same lake, or by some affluent of the one, which is an effluent of the other? It is not improbable

that Dr. Livingstone will push toward the north and determine the question.

2. Captain Speke, in reporting his discovery of the northern lake, Victoria Nyanza, jumped at the conclusion that it was the source of the Nile. It is not the first time that a great lake has been considered the source of that river, as we have seen from the Portuguese geographers; but although Captain Speke's conjecture was plausible, it is by no means established. He says that Sir Roderick Murchison remarked, as soon as he heard his story, "We must send you back there, Speke." The Captain was quite ready to go, and on April 21st, 1860, having obtained a good outfit (£2,500) from the British government, he set out on a new expedition in company with Captain Grant, intending to regain his former position and then explore the lake toward the north.

3. Meanwhile, Mr. Petherick, formerly British Consul at Chartum, has set out for that place, intending to make it a point of departure for an exploration southward. He will follow the general course of the White Nile, and is confident of meeting Captain Speke near the point where the Nile takes its departure from the Victoria Nyanza. His agreement with the Geographical Society is as follows. "Consul Petherick. undertakes, in consideration of the receipt of £1,000 towards the expedition up the Nile, to place two well armed boats, during November, 1861, at Gondokoro, with a sufficient stock of grain to ensure to Captain Speke and his party the means of subsistence upon their arrival at that place. If Captain Speke shall not arrive in November, 1861, then Consul Petherick shall proceed with an armed party southward, towards L. Nyanza to meet him. If Captain Speke shall not arrive at Gondokoro before June, 1862, Consul Petherick promises to assist Captain Speke in making any explorations which Captain Speke may deem desirable. It is farther understood, that in the event of Captain Speke not having arrived at that time at Gondokora, Consul Petherick shall not be bound to remain beyond June, 1862."

In respect to three other expeditions we have less definite knowledge, and consequently less expectation.