GENERAL NOTES.
AFRICA.
—M. Matheis has been sent out by the French Government to explore the region extending from the bend of the Niger to Lake Tchad.
—The question of the establishment of a small railroad on the Decanville plan, between Ogooué and Alima, is being considered.
—M. J. Thomson left London the 6th of May to go to Zanzibar, from whence he will proceed to make the geological exploration of the Rovouma for the Sultan of Zanzibar.
—Messrs. Demietri and Michieli, agents of the Italian Society of Commerce in Africa, have set out from Khartoum for the Red Sea at the head of a caravan of 700 camels, laden with various kinds of merchandise.
—The Commercial Association of Lisbon has moved a patriotic subscription, the proceeds of which will be offered to the Government to co-operate with it in the foundation of civilizing stations in the Portuguese African colonies.
—An Italian party consisting of an officer and 14 men, while attempting to penetrate Abyssinia from Assab Bay, have been massacred in the interior. It is possible that the Italian Government may send a military expedition to demand redress.
—Until recently there has been no bank in the English colonies of Western Africa. Many of the merchants have been hindered from entering into negotiations with these colonies by the difficulty of obtaining reliable information relative to the state of commerce. But the Bank of West Africa has now been established, with a capital of 500,000 pounds sterling, having its centre at London, and stations at Sierra Leone, Lagos, and later at Cape Coast, at the Gambia, and wherever the exigencies of commerce render it necessary.
—Dr. Lenz affirms that the soil of the Sahara is not as sterile as is commonly believed. In Iguidi, in particular, they found many foraging places for the camels, and they often saw troops of antelopes and gazelles fleeing at the approach of the caravan. Dr. Lenz did not follow the example of Barth, but went rather to pay his addresses to the Kahia, who made his stay in Timbuctoo the most agreeable possible. He gave him a fine house, and served him each day an abundant and delicious repast—wheaten bread, butter and honey, mutton and beef, chickens and game.
—Stanley has fixed the site of his second station at Isangila, about 50 kilometers from Vivi. To reach this point, he traversed a very dangerous country, where the population is scattered and which offered no resources. The difficulties were increased by the amount of baggage to transport, provisions, boats, &c., the whole weighing 42 tons—an enormous weight, considering the nature of the country and the means of transportation. He was obliged to throw bridges across the rivers, fill up the ravines, open, hatchet in hand, a route across dense forests, blow up rocks, or drag the wagons by force of arm along the sides of steep mountains. And still it was not possible to advance with all his baggage at once. He had to open the way with a group of pioneers, and after advancing a little to make a halt, pitch a camp, then go back to bring by instalments the rest of the convoy, till all were united.
THE INDIANS.
—Gen. C. H. Howard has been appointed Indian Inspector to succeed Dr. I. H. Mahan, who resigned his position on account of failing health.
—Rev. S. Hall Young, of Fort Wrangel, Alaska, writes: “With a live missionary, a saw-mill and a Christian trader in the N. W. T. Co.’s store, we can make that the model mission of Alaska.”
—Indians are employed on the California Southern R. R. with satisfactory results, and it is predicted with a reasonable degree of assurance that the experiment will prove to be a favorable means of civilizing the Indians.
—The Santees had 2,344 acres under cultivation last year. They raised 7,000 bushels of wheat, 2,000 of oats, 3,000 of corn, and made 1,000 tons of hay for their stock. They also manufactured 120,000 bricks. It is the opinion of Mr. Lightner, their agent, that as soon as the Nation is willing to recognize the Indian as a citizen, holding him amenable to the laws governing the white man, we may expect his civilization to advance with double rapidity.