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Leader (1850-1860), 14th July 1860, Edition 1 of 2, Page 658, Untitled Article

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  • Departments (2)
    • AUTUMNAL LEAYES *
    • THE SOURCES OF THE NILIL*
  • Text (7)
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      Untitled Article

      auenionies , and it is by no means certain that we are yet acquainted with all that live on our coasts . ItJa also advisable not to use , even in a . popular work , the term variety for epecies , as Mr . 3 ? raser will pef-¦ ceive the errors that must arise from confounding these two terms . The . books before us can of course only'furnish a mere outline , sometimes very meagre , of the matters they describe , but it- is well to begin with works of this kind , and when some broad ideas have been obtained , and curiosity has been excited , the writings of more advanced naturalists will be esteemed and enjoyed . It may also stimulate the labours of amateurs to know that nioro complete and extensive information concerning creatures readily found ou our coasts is much to be desired . There is scarcely a species whose habit 3 and structure are thoroughly known , and we possess » very slight acquaintance with hundreds of interesting species . In many Cases the creatures must be watched under various circumstances in their natural condition , but a great deal may be done by studying their behaviour in confinement , and sea-side visitors should amuse themselves with forming vivaria , with plates , tumblers , and other receptacles that are always at hand . These , with the help of a microscope , will provide a constant fund of entertainment for long evenings and wet days . <

      Untitled Article

      I T is not enough "that information should be extensive and accurate ; its materials should be skilfully arranged . Our knowledge of the basin of the Upper Nile has not been , perhaps , increased since 1847 ; but the knowledge then obtained lias never been usefully employed , either by geographers or chartographers . Mr . Beke , about that period , having returned from three years ' travels in Abyssinia , meditated effecting ii reform , and in a paper contained in the 17 th vol . of the journal of the . Royal . Geographical Society of London , set about correcting current errors . One . of the qiiestions discussed was the position and direction of the Mountains of the Moon . His hypothesis has since beeu corroborated by tlie actual researches of Captains Burton and Speke . The

      principal mountain system of Africa is now found to extend from north to south , in proximity to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean , instead of running- across the continent from east to west . Africa possesses fertile and genial regions , large rivers and lakes , and an . immense population , which , if not civilised , is yet-to a considera bly extent endowed -with . kindly manner * , humane ' dispositions , aiid-iiiditstvious habits . Why lias it happened , then , that ' . havtf' established so f tw relations with its interior ? The . continent has always Been approached in a Wrong- direction , that is the reasou . _ The east coast has remained unattempted , the only- direction by which tlie interior of intertropieal Africa can be approached with facility . \\ heii the narrow belt of low land along * the shores of- the Indian Ocean —which j from its general dryhess , arisingTrom the absence of large rivers , is far from unhealthy at most seasons of the year ^ -is once of the is

      basin of the Nile , thereby so circumscribed and defined as to rendet it impossible for any material error to exist . " Dr . Beke traces the steps by which , from the earliest ages we have arrived at the knowledge we possess of this stiUmysterious river . ^ ' The White River has long been identified with the JNile of Ptolemy . It was first explored in 1827 by M . Linant , who ascended the stream as far as El-Ais in 13 deg . 43 sec . north latitude . In 1839 and 1842 it was further explored by the direction of Mohammed Ali Pasha , In 1843 M . Antoine d'Abbadie published , the

      results of a pretended journey into Kaffa across the Nile , designing to mystify the public after the fashion of George Psahnanazar . But in 1850 he was publicly refuted by Dr . Beke , who , however , incurred some ill feeling from the Geographical Society of Paris in consequence . He likewise engaged in another controversy , that on the identity of the Godjeb with the Juba river of the coast . Dr . Beke , from local observation , demonstrated that " the ( Jpdjeb can only be one of the headstreams of the Sobat , " In his opinions , " the source of the Nile is situate at n comparatively short distance from the sea coast within the dominions of the Imam of Maskal , the friend and

      ally of the principal maritime powers of the world . " Hejmamtams his opinions with arguments that exhaust all the learning on the subject , take , however , his conclusion in his own words , " All the head-streams , " he says , * " of the Nile must be thoroughly explored before it would be in our power to finally and irrevocably decide which among them is entitled to the designation of i / ie source of the Nile . " Tlie reader will do well to consult the work for himself .

      passed ,, and the eastern ed ^ e elevated table-land attained , a climate is met with which is not merely congenial to European constitutions , but is absolutely more healthy than that of most countries . This fact appears to ' haye been known to the ancients , though hidden from us . Arrian ' s Periplus records the existence of numerous emporict , or commercial ports along the eastern coast of Africa , both within the Red Sea and beyond the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb , iti-w . hich-pnnts-thn _ nrnduf ! ts of the interjor of Africa were exchanged against manufactured goods of various descriptions brought from JBgypt and India . And the learned researches of the historian Heeren plainly prove the existence , during the earlier ages , of an extensive and lucrative commercial intercourse between the countries of Southern Asia and Africa ; between India and Arabia ,

      Ethiopia , Libya , and Egypt ; the principal seat of this national intercourse for Africa being Meroe , and its principal route being still pointed out by a chain of ruins , extending from the shores of the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean , Adule , Azab , and Axum being links of this chain between Arabia Felix and Mevoe , while Thebes and Ammonium were the link between Meroe , Egypt and Carthage . The greatest movement of the population is from West to East , nnd from East to West ; pilgrims from the remotest regions of Western and North-Western Africa traversing the / entire breadth of the continent , on their way to and from the Caaba , and the tomb of their prophet and lawgiver . And this road existed long before

      Mahommed , who mer " ely dedicated to the worship of the 6 no God the world-renowned fame of the idols of the Sabseans . The first step towards the conversion to Mahommedanism of the Pagan inhabitants of the Valley of the Nile , was unconsciously taken by the crewn of the vessels belonging to the expedition undertaken by M . Ferdinand Werne to discover the sources of tho White Nile . That traveller says : " Yesterday evening , as the natives walked along by the side of our men , whilst towing tho vessels , they sang in concort with them tlie contrasting repeated exclamations , Ya M ' aftommodV # uch an instance frequently illustrates the connection that naturally arises between commerce and religion .

      Dr . Boko professes always to ground his speculations on AicIh ; and carefully to uccuminulato these before pretending 1 to determine tho -true-head oi' -H ^ mrco ot ^ thG-Nilo ^ IIo . proposoa ^ to . cxami JVQ . ihc tributaries and tho bulin of the Kile preparatory to the eventual discovery of Hm sources . It is , of course , quite impossible for us to follow him throughout tliis investigation . Enough to bo able to state that " an far mm our meant * of information have permitted , the various hond-stf cams which by thoiv union form the riVer of Egypt , have now boon followed up towavds their sources , und the physical character of tho regions jm which these head-streams originate , has been described . Tho conterminous hydrographieal systoms of the African continent have also been investigated , and tho limits of tho

      Untitled Article

      TTNDER tlie above title , the poetess of Leicestershire , Mrs . XJ Edward Thomas , the authoress of " The Merchant ' s Daughter of Toulon , " has just published a volume of poems , deserving of especial attention on account of their pathos and earnestness . The occasion of its appearance is stated to be the death of her only son , Captain Thomas , of the Leicester Militia , and heir-presumptive to extensive landed estates in the county . The circumstance of his mother being a widow , and that , in the language oi Scripture , " beside birn she had neither son nor daughter" is dwelt upon with mucli of right feeling in the local journals , as quoted in the brief preface to the work . But another eircuinstance had likewise great weight . - He was , also , ¦ ¦ sa ' ys . the ' ^ Lei - cester Guardian , " " on the point of forming a matrimonial alliance with one of our oldest county families , " -

      The first six poeins in the volume before us are elegiac , and marked " In Menioriam . " They are devoted to the memory ol the departed Sohrand the grief of his Betrothed ^ _ They all of them breathe the most passionate Sorrow- ^ fervid , eloquent , solemn , vet as full of the hope of immortality as of regret for the lost . It is seldom , indeed , that we meet , " now-a-days , with verses so Tmniitigated in their pathos , and yet so ardent in their faith . In this , and other respects , these six elegiac poems stand in contrast with Mr . Tennyson ' s " In Memdriam "¦—they are less speculative ; may we say , less sceptical ? and have more of the direct energy of real grief . In the leading poera , we have the mother ' s lamentations for her bereavement uttered with loud wailings that , in their vehemence and determination , refuse to be comforted , and disdain all consolation . ' HfrrrowHSOT ^ take Heayen itself with violence . Thither , now , her aspirations ascend ; there only will her soul find refuge .

      The remaining elegies are more subdued in tone . The ecstasy of grief could not be perpetually maintained at such an elevation . A retrospect of vanished happiness is now indulged in , and some touching recollections are admitted to soften the keen agony of a bitter bereavement . The following lines are as pathetic as they are beautiful : —; ' All festivals—allholydaya—all days of jubilee—Will now be held as funeral ones- ^ my pr ecious son ! by me ; Once shared by tlieo—oh ! how could I alone keep otherwise Than as roburials of the dead , such hallowed revelries ? I would bo still , but tjiis loud world , with over-startling sound , Mocking the cry of * J ? eaco , peace , peace , ' where peace cannot bo found , Distracts my bosom—breaks the hush , which steals , like drowsiness . Upon tho worn and weary heart , exhausted by distress . ' * A most touching lyric treats the episode of her " Son ' s Betrothed . " Tho dramatic interest of tho situation , so to speak , is fully brought out , and the fair mourner is discovered in hor sorrow and despair , naturally questioning the mysterious Providence whioh had decreed tho blighting of her early hopes . Tho a ^ ony of her heart , tho poignancy of tho thought , the flow of bitter tears , oxoeod onduranco— human enduranco—but not tho measure of Divine pity . Man is impatient , whilo his Makor is compassionate . Accordingly , the poot demands : — " Shall man then preinaturoly preach , Whilo Otod romaineth mute ? " * : TheloFsoni , wKiolxhts siloncoteachj - - Man a eloquence confute , l ^ or He who made tho Buffering heart , J ts sorrowB well may scan , And bear the expression of their smart , ' , More patiently than man . Poor , stricken Ono 1 a few more toars , A few more hopes unblost ; A few more disappointing years , Aud thouwilt bo at rest . "

      Untitled Article

      658 The Saturday Analyst and Leader . [ July 14 , 1860 .

      Untitled Article

      " ? Tho Sources of tho Nile , IioIiik ft Oonoml Survey of tho Biiain of thut Itivor , hii < 1 of Uh Iloiul Mtrouma , with tho History of Miotlo Discovery . Hy Chnrlou T . Bohe , Vh . 1 > . ( J « ihc 8 Miuldon ) .

      Untitled Article

      ? AutHMimJ ; i , oftVOB . KleRittc nnd otlior Poom . MyJMrg , Edwftnl Thomas . W . p Wttlkor aiut C « .

      Autumnal Leayes *

      AUTUMNAL LEAYES *

      The Sources Of The Nilil*

      THE SOURCES OF THE NILE . *

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 14, 1860, page 658, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2356/page/10/