Traveler.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 428, 21 July 1904, Page 7

Traveler.

A RIVER OP MISTER*. , v fpMfr SERIES of volumes which shall form a 'complete history of the discovery of the «Uobe from tb.9 earliest records to the present,' to be published in London, Sir Harry Johnston leads off with the Nils Qaest, and his peculiar fitness for the task of describing, the events characterising this great searoh need not be emphasised. He told a won. dofful tale, which folio t?a step by step the evolution of Nilotic exploration from the days of the ancient Egyptians to the close of the nineteenth century. The marvel is that the mystery of this mighty river should have lain buried so many centufies, when nearly 3000 years ago Ptolemy's map shows us the reports which had reached the ancienta as to the course of the Nile, the existence of a Great Lake, and the 'Mountains of the Moon'; reports the relative accuracy of which—all things considered —was surprising. In Chapter 1., « The Dawn of Nile Exploration,' the "author gives free scope to his learned diiquisitions on the earliest inhabitants of the Nile Basin. He is very positive in his affirmations of what must surely be regarded in many instances as interesting hypotheses; but in these heights Sir Harry Boars far beyond the capacities of the average critic. Chapter V., in which he summarises the ancients' knowledge of the Nile, is attractive. He carries us back in speculative calculations from 'some such period as 10,000 years ago' to two centuries A.D., when—the ; Arabs of Western- and. Southern Arabia very early in the history of civilisation developed a oulture scarcely inferior to that of the Egyptians, and entered into trading and colonißing relations with Abysßinia and Somaliland, and with the East Afrioan coastlands as far south as the modern Rhodesia. From their ments on the Zanzibar coast (such as" Mombasa) they probably jourseyed inland on trading expeditions, or else the natives who came to trade with them at the coast gave them geographical inform nation. In one or other way they learnt the existence of great takes ana snow

moaataiDß, These stories the i Arabs i passed on to ingniring Graeks m far bask as 2000yearsago. *''"'•-' """■" Thi« was the 'high water mark of knowledge concerning the soordea-if the Whito Nils for iome 1800 years.' From A.f> 200 to A.D. 1840 is a long stepi yet in that extended period of time the main stream of the Nile was undiscovered, and unknown south of Gondokoro, the Great Lakes were unseen by European eyes, and Ptolemy's 'Mountains of the Moon' were still looked upon as the product of ancient legend. In the forties, two Germans—, Krapi and BebmaH—-discovered Kilimanjaro, saw KJmia, and gathered much information from Arabs sad native* m to the Great Lakes and snow covered Euwen zori. Only laughed at for their pains, their statements were destined to be strikingly confirmed a few years later,', Burton and Speke discovered Tanganyika in 1857. Next year, Speke—Barton being ill and unab'6 to travel—discovered the Victoria Nyasz%, 'He realised to the fall the wonder of his discovery, and that this mighty lake would prove to be the main head waters of the White Kile.' Speke's discovery led to the celebrated quarrel with Button. In 1860 Speke returned to confirm his discovery, as to the value of which the scientific world was divided. On 28h July, 1862, * Speke stood by the side of the Eipon Falls, where the Victoria Nile leaves the Great Nyania at the head of the Napoleon Gulf.' After many dimcuities and hardehip3 Speke and Grant 'walked into Goadoko' 6a 15 th February, 1863, and reached EagUnd in the spring.

A SLUMP IN ABCaOUKES.

• We archdukes are growing beautifully less/ said Archduke Otto at a ball in Vienna the other day. He thereby expressed tersely and humorously what m&ny society' personages are feeling and thinking. It is usual to obtain the services of an archduke for opening the more important carnival balls here, and now, despite the numerous ssue of the Empress Maria Theresa, the e are not enough available archdukes ? : go round. This is chiefly due to the n merous morganatic marriages and scan ale which have occurred of late in ae Imperial House. Thus the heir pre iruptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, hj ;dly ever appears at these functions, owing to the fact that his morganatic wife. Countess Chotek, cannot appesr at his side on official occasions. Then there is the wastage which goes on through the deliberate abandonment of their raok by some arc's dakes, generally for the cake o? murrjiag gome woman so far below them in rank that mesalliance is considered incompatible with the retention of their position, Everything is ultimately forgiven to archdukes except mesalliance, but some of them are not infrequently ordered' by the Empsior to take a change of air for a considerable length of time. Recently both Archduke Lttdwig Victor, the Emperor's brother, and Archduke Otto, his nephew, have left Vienna ' for the benefit of their health,' the newspapers say, but the fact is that the Emperor has been greatly incensed at a scandal in which his brother was implicated, and took the most unusual step of driving to the Archduke's palace to reprimand him. ' Archduke Lndwig had become mixed up in a fight in the Central Bath Housa in Vienna, the subsequent police const proceedings revealing that the Archduke had been knocked down by a young man, A charge of assault wan preferred against the latter, but he was acquitted. The Emperor, who is an absolute despot in matters affecting the members of the Imperial House, has banished his brother to Meran, where he is to live in the greateat retirement at a sanatorium.