Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1911 — IN THE HEART OF AFRICA. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN THE HEART OF AFRICA.

DURING the last seventy-five years more bis been done to make us acquainted with the geography of Africa than during the whole of the 1,700 previous years since Ptolemy taken together. With Mungo Park, strictly speaking, commences the era of unceasing endeavors to explore the interior. The explorations of the latter half of the nineteenth century, actuated as they were by diverse motives, are full of interest and have resulted in giving the world a great If not en-. tirely complete knowledge of this vast continent

After perusing the Bcores of books on exploration, travel and sport In Africa Issued during the last dozen years, for the most part mere shooting trips, Illustrated by indifferent photographs, “In the Heart off Africa,” by Duke Adolphus Frederick of Mecklenburg, is something of a relief. It is the record of an expedition' undertaken during the years 1907-1908 for the purpose of conducting a systematic investigation of the German East African protectorate, the Central African Rift valley, in its expansion from Lake Kiwu to Lake Albert Nyanza, and finally the northeastern confines of the Congo State. The expedition was completed by'the crossing of Africa to the West Coast. This Important undertaking was aided financially and in other ways by the German colonial office, the'German Colonial company, the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, and the Museum of Folklore, Berlin. The vast collections gathered were exhibited publicly in Berlin last year, and were afterwards made over to German museums and other scientific institutions. The results obtained were astonishing in quantity and importance. Vast districts were carefully surveyed and mapped, including the wonderful volcanic regions beginning at the northern point of Lake Kiwu; geological explorations were zealously and scientifically conducted, and the botanicalspoils comprised no less than 3,466 specimens, among which hundreds quite new to science were discovered. The zoological work was done with the usual German thoroughness; 834 mammals, 800 birds, 173 reptiles, 708 fishes, 204 amphibious animals, 686 molluscs, 1,462 decapods, .7,603 insects, 1,181 arachidnae —these are only a portion of the amazing captures of the expedition. The classification of these' specimens, which include a great number of new forms, will be the work of some years. A considerable number of new vertebrates are Included In the collection. From the ethnographical-anthropolog-ical ' point of view, Duke Adolf of Mecklenburg’s expedition is one of the most Important that has ever conducted an exploration in Africa. No less than 1,017 skulls and about 4,000 ethnographica were collected; 4,600 natives were measured; among the five thousand-odd photographs taken, 700 are of curious and Important races of savages. Eighty-Beven phonograms and 37 languages were also recorded.

It is an extraordinary record, abounding in picturesque incident and many dangers, and lightened- here and there by descriptions of-the successful chase of elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards and many other species of big game. One ot the finest elephants sectired by the duke —shot on the Semllki river—carried tusks weighing 98 and 94 pounds apiece, and measuring 8 feet 3% inches and 8 feat 2% Inches respectively. This mighty elephant was nearly ending the career of the author and one of bis native boys, who were caught by the wounded beast while stuck fast in some swampy ground. The boy was actually twice tossed by the monster, but, thanks to the desperate wounds sustained by the beast, managed to escape with his life. In the haunts of the okapi the duke and his companions soon discovered that it is almost an impossibility for a European to get within shot of these shy and furtive creatures, amid the unfathomable tangle of the Semllki forest Mainly owing to. the exertions of the Wambutti hunters, spurred on by dazzling rewards ot baksheesh, the expedition managed to secure the skins, with the skeletons complete, of four example?, which appear to have bees the first brought home by any German expedition. Some new species of antelope were also secured la this forest re-

The expedition was; as may be supposed, not Invariably free from disaster, during its two years of exploreti6n. Herr Klrschtein, one of the duke’s lieutenants, while collecting on Karimbissi, in the mountainous volcanic region, was, with his native followers, suddenly assailed by a violent storm of hail, followed by a furious snowstorm. The temperature sank to zero, and the natives, already much reduced by seven days’ exposure on these heights, gave up the contest for life and sank exhausted. In spite of the exertions of their leader, 20 of them lay dead next morning “frozen under a tropical sun!” The great, African forestp are scarcely ever pentrated by the sun. Tlje trees comprise almost every variety of wood, grow to an enormous* height, some reaching 180 feet, while underneath there Is a thick growth of bushes and vines. Innumerable insects swarm everywhere. Birds of many varieties inhabit the trees, while wild animals, all manner of feptiles, lemurs, chimpanzees, and babboons make their homes in the dark recesses. Added to these are the various tribes of the forest, among them the dwarfs, the most vicious and degraded of beings. They slay their enemies as well as their game with poisoned arrows. Many of Stanleys men fell victims to their poisoned arrows, or to poisoned skewers, deftly concealed in the pathway, upon which they would tread. The whole region reeks with disaster and death. - * The expeditions of Stanley and Livingstone leaves little to be discovered in Africa that Is now absolutely unknown. All that remains to be done Is detail, in the way of accurate measurements and observations. The origin and meaning of the name of this great continent has been a fertile subject for conjecture among phil-

ologists and antiquaries. By the Greeks it was called Libya, and by the Romans, Africa. With respect to the word Africa, Suidas tells us that It was the proper name of that great city which the Romans called Carthago, and the Greeks, Karchedon. It is certain, at least, that it was applied originally to the country in the immediate neighborhood of Carthage, that part of the continent first known to the Romans, and that it was subsequently extended with their increasing knowledge, till it came at last to indude the whole continent. -Of the meaning of the name, the language of Carthage itself supplies a simple and natural explanation; the word Afrygah, signifying a separate .establishment, or in other words a colony, as Carthage was of Tyre. So that the Phoenicians of old, at home, may have spoken of their Afrygah, Just as we speak of our colonies. Be that as it may, the Arabs of the present day still give the name of Afrygah or Afrlkiyah to the territory of Tunis. It may also be remarked that the name seems not to have been used by the Romans till after the time of the first Punic war, when they became first acquainted with what they afterwards called Africa Propria.

JAMEB BUCHMAN.

Pair of Watussi.