Abstract
THE new number (No, 1 of vol. iv.) of the German African Society's Mittheilungen gives a table of magnetic observations and temperature made at different points of his route from Kakoma to Karema by Dr. E. Kaiser, who unhappily died last November on the bank of the Rikwa lake. A copious list follows of Dr. Kaiser's altitudes between Zanzibar and Kakoma. On the basis of English maps of the Niger and the Binuë, Dr. Kiepert traces Herr Ed. Robert Flegel's route from Eggan to Bida in September, 1881, and thence by way of Keffi to Loko in November and December of the same year. Summing up Herr Flegel's topographies, Herr Stück determines the latitude of Loko at 7° 58′ 16″ ± 7″ N., and of Keffi at 8° 49′ 22″ ± 3″ N. In an interesting letter from Ngaundere amid the sources of the Logone, dated August 22, 1882, Herr Flegel claims to have discovered the source of the Binuë, or at least an important part of the territory from which this river takes its source. On July 31 last Herr Flegel proceeded from Jola to the watershed between the tributaries of the Faro and the Binuë, and on August 17 reached the first fountain-brook of the Binuë, passing it and two further heads of the river on the 18th. Ascending a steep mountain chain, the watershed between the Binuë, Faro, Logone, and Old Calabar system, he beheld the last stream, by the inhabitants unanimously named the Binuë in contradistinction to the Guzun-Binuë (beginning of the Binuë) he had first passed. From the back of the mountains close by their encampment on the first rimchi (farm) of Ngaundere, the source of the Binuë was pointed out by the natives. If not the source, it was undoubtedly one of the main sources. After a stay of four months at Ngaundere Herr Flegel returned to Lokoja, whence, in, a letter of February 21 last, he projects an early exploration of the lands yet unknown to the south of the Benuë and of the watershed crossed by him the previous year. He also contemplates opening up the territories where the Tsad and the Niger have their sources, and investigating the relations between these two water-systems, examining Barth's hypothesis of a direct water communication between the Tsad and the Niger by means of the Mao Kebbi and the Jubori swamps. He will further make inquiry into the political and ethnographical relations between the Tsad and Niger territories. Astronomical topographies are given of places visited by Lieut. Wissmann between Malange and Kimbundu. There are two interesting and instructive reports by Dr. Pogge and Lieut. Wissmann on their expedition through the south-east of the Congo basin, between Kimbundu and Nge Njangwe, from July 31, 1881, to April 17, 1882. The Kioque, inhabiting the country along the Luelle and the Chikapa, among whom the two travellers journeyed for a month and a half, are described as an intelligent and enterprising people, expert smiths, hunters, and far-travelling merchants. Carrying on a large trade in gum, and soon exhausting a district of its gum produce by their inconsiderate method of going to work, they are in a state of perpetual movement towards the north. Almost all the ivory which reaches Loanda is forwarded thither by the Kioque from the Tuschilange country. The Tuschilange (sing. Kaschilange) or Baschilange (sing. Muschalange) are a mixed people, composed of the aborigines and the Baluba, who have entered the country from the south. Of the three divisions of them the central is the Bena Riamba, i.e. sons of wild hemp, so called from their excessive addiction to smoking that herb, which is smoked more or less in almost the whole of Africa, and produces an intoxicating effect combined with coughing. The Bena Riemba are forbidden to keep goats or swine, and the travellers during their stay among them suffered from the want of animal food. Crossing the splendid river of Lubi, the travellers passed from the land of the Baschilange to that of the Bassonge, who, according to Lieut. Wissmann, occupy the highest industrial position he had ever seen negroes hold. Artistic working in iron and copper, weaving, basket-making, carving, and pottery are all highly advanced among them. Living in fair villages with large clean houses, under the shade of palms and bananas, the men cultivate their trim fields, and leave only the lighter work to their wives—a relation in marked contrast to that existing among the peoples they had hitherto visited.
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Geographical Notes . Nature 28, 309–310 (1883). https://doi.org/10.1038/028309a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/028309a0