People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1897 — Exploring the Upper Niger [ARTICLE]

Exploring the Upper Niger

After an absence of three years the expedition under Lieutenant Hourst has safely returned to Europe from the Niger. The party ascended the Senegal river and then carried the sections of an aluminium boat overland to the upper part of the Niger. Ou reaching this river the pieces of the boat were put together and two native boats purchased. In these the expedition sailed down the Niger to Timbuktu, where a stay of ten months was made. The voyage from Timbuktu to Lokoja, at the confluence of the Niger and Benue, seems to have been arduous, but from that point the expedition was towed i by a launch belonging to the i Royal Niger company to the coast at Wari. How much fresh

topograph icalinformation Lieutenant Hourst’s party has obtained is not yet stated. This will depend on the highest point reached on the Niger. Reuter’s message states that the expedition “first met the Hver Niger at Kayes,” but that town is on the Senegal river. There can be no. doubt, however, thatmuch valuable scientific information was obtained, for the expedition traveled slowly and was admirably equipped. One novelty was the use of the Phonograph for reporting the native war songs. The expedition kept peace with the natives throughout the journey, in which it differs greatly from some of those previously conducted by French explorers in that region.—Nature.