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Leader (1850-1860), 14th July 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 10

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      Sea. Side-Books.* Poptjlar Marine Zoolog...

      aucinonies , and it is by no means certain that we are yet acquainted with all that live on our coasts . Itia also advisable not to use , even in . a popular -work , the term variety for epecies , as Mr . Fraser will perceive the errors that must arise from confounding these two , terms . The boots 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 0 Dtained , and curiosity has been excited , the writings of more advancecl naturalists will be esteemed and enjoyed . Ifc may also stimmnte the labours of amateurs to know that moro complete and extensive information concerning creatures readily found on our coasts is mucli to De desired . There fs scarcely a species whose habits and structure are thoroughly known , and we possess tt very slight acquaintance witli hundreds of interesting species . In many cases the creatures must _ watched under various circumstances in then- natural condition , but a great deal may be done by studying their behaviour in confinement , fndL sea-side visitors should aiuse themselves vith forming vivaria , with plates , tumblers , and other receptacles that are alw ? y % * ** ° ; . These * with the help of a microscope , will provide a constant fund of entertainment for long evenings and wet ^ days . . .

      658 The Saturday Analyst And Leader. ^^ ...

      658 The Saturday Analyst and Leader . ^^ [ July 14 , 1800 ,

      The Sources Of The Nile.* I T Is Not Eno...

      THE SOURCES OF THE NILE . * 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 has nevei been usefully employed , either by geographers or chartographeis Mr . Beke , about that period , having returned from three \ earh travels in Abyssinia , meditated effecting * ¦ reform , and m a paper contained in the 17 th vol . of the journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London , set about correcting current errors _ One ol the qilestions discussed was the position and direction ot the foun - tain ? of the Moon . His hypothesis has since been corroborated by the actual researches of Captains Burton and fepeke . The -principal mountain system of Africa is now . found to extend froni 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 Ind genial regions , large rivers and lakes , and an immense - ¦ ¦ ¦ population , which , if » ot civilised , is yet to ^ considerable extent endowed with kindly manner * , humane dispositions . amUndnstrious - ~ habits . Wliy has it happened , then , that vo haw established so few relations with its interior ? Tiro , continent ha * always been - approached in a wrong direction , that is the reasou . _ The east coast has remained unattempted , the onl ^ direction b y which themtevior of intertropical Africa can be approached with . . ia ' cnLty . V \ hen the narrow belt of low laud along tlie shoves of- the Indian . Ocean —which , from its general dryncss , jarisingTromtlie absence of large rivers , is far from unhealthy at most seasons of the year—is once passed , and the eastern ed ^ e of the elevated table-la . nd is attained , a climate is met mth which is not merely congenial to European constitutions , but is absolutely more healthy thantiiat oi most countries This fact appears to have been known to the ancients , thougn hidden from us . Arrian ' s Periplus records the existence of numerous emporia , or commercial ports aldn- the eastern ^ oast ot Atnca , both within the Red Sea and beyond the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb , in which ports tl ^ products o ' f the interior of Africa were exchanged against manufactured goods of various deacriptiohs ; brought rrom jKgypt and India . And the learned . researches . oi the historian HSeren plainly prove the existence , during the earlier ages , oi 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 bemgstiU 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 Meroe , while Thebes and Ammonium were the link between Meroe , Egypt arid Carthage . The greatest movement of tho population is from West to East , and from East to West ; pilgrims from the remotest regions of Western and North-Western Africa traversing tho / entire breadth of the continent , on then- 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 Jbhe one God the world-renowned fame of the idols of the Sahaeans . The first step towards the conversion to Mahonunedanism of the Pagan inhabitants of the Valley of tho Nile , was unconsciously taken by the creww of the vessels belonging to the expedition undertaken by M . Ferdinand Werne to discover the sources of the White -Nile , lhat traveller says : " Yesterday evening , as the natives walked along l > y the side of our men , whilst towing tho vessels , thc . v an , " ?? concort with them the contrasting repeated exclamations , 3 r « Ma / ionimcd \ « uch an instance frequently illustrates the connection that naturally arises between commerce and religion . Dr . Boko professes always to ground Iuh speculations on lactH ; and carefully to accummulato these bolbro protending to determine the -true head oi' -wureo -of thG-Nilo ^ Jlo-proposea ^ to _ uxamuiQ the tributaries and tho . "bnsin of the Kile prcparutory to the eventual discovery of its sources . It is , of course , . quite imposHible tor us to follow him throughout tliia investigation . Enough to bo able to state that " oh far m ouv ineans of information have permitted , the various head-streams which by their union form the nVer ot Egypt , have now boon followed up towards their source * , and tho physical character of tho regions jn which these head-atroains originate , has boon described . Tho conterminous hydrographieaV systems of the African continent lmvo also been investigated , and tho limits of the

      basin of the Nile , thereby so ^ ircumscribed imd ^^^^ s » mS ^^ PtSemy - It was first expW inl 827 byM- ^ inant ^ ascended the stream as far as El-Ais in 13 deg . 43 sec . ^ nor th latitude ^ 1839 and 1842 it was further exploded , by « f ^] 7 £ med AH Pasha , In 1843 M . Antoine d'Abbadie published the Ss Ittof a p Seuded i oximcy into Kaffa across the Nile , designing tomvstirV the pubKc after the fashion of George Psalmanazar . But in XoSewas ^ blicly refuted by ^ . Be ^^ o ^ ey ^ c ^ ed some ill feelin < - from the Geographical Society ot Fans m conseo ?" ¦ HSkemse engaged " in" another controvei ^ tlu * on | ie identity of the Godjeb with the Juba river of the coast ^ Dr . « eke , frSScS observation , demonsWed th ^ " the ^^ can ^ y ^ e one of the headstreams of the Sobat . " In his opinions , ^ « 0 ™" of the Nile is situate at it comparatively sh ^ tT + lS friend and coast within the dominions of the Imam of MaskaJ , the * fr ^ nd ^ ally of the principal maritime powers of the world . He ™ am ™ his opinions svith arguments that exhaust aU the learmngonthe subiect . 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 oMe source , of the Nile . " The reader will do well to consult the work tor himselt .

      I'H , L>. (J Tunes Mrtiulon).

      i'h , l > . ( J tunes MrtiUlon ) .

      Autumnal Leaves * Tt^Der The Above Titl ...

      AUTUMNAL LEAVES * TT ^ DER the above titl e , the poetess of L eicestershire , Mrs . U Edward Thomas , the authoress of " The Merchant ' s Daughter ^ of Toulon , '' has just published avolumei . poems , deserving of-especial - attention on account of their pathos and earnestness . The occasion of its appearance is stated to . the death pf Jber . only son , Captain Thomas , of the Leicester Militia , and hen-presumptive to extensive landed estates in the county . The eireum- . stance of his mother being a widow , and that , m the language of Scripture , « beside him she had neither son nor ^ daughter is dwelt upon w ith much of right feeling in the local journals , as quoted in the brief preface to the work . But another exxeunistance had likewise great weight . . He was , ^ ^ W . ^^ " ^ cester Guardian , " " on the point of forming amatnmomal 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 ot the departed Sonrand the grief of his Betrothed ^ JLhey all ot them breathe the most passionate sorrow- fervid , eloquent , j > olemn , _ 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 unmitigated in their pathos , and yet so ardent intheir faith , in this , and other respects , these six elegiac poems stand in contrast with Mr . Tennyson ' s " In Membriam " --they are less speculative ; may we say , less sceptical ? and have more of the direct . energy of real grief . Inthe leading poem , we have the mother slamentations for her bereavement uttered with loud wailings ^ that , in their vehemence and d etermination , refuse to be comforted , ana "disdain all oonsolCTgr-flfer-VPt ^^ take Heaven itself with violence . Thither , now , her aspirations ascend ; there only will her soul find refuge . « no * ; The remaining elegies are more subdued in tone , lne ecstasj 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 ot a - bitter bereavement . The following lines are as pathetic as the ) are beautiful : — ¦ ¦ ' All festivals—all holydaya—all days of jubilee—Will now be held ns funeral ones- * -my precious son I by me ; Once shared by thee—oh ! how could I alone keep otherwise Than as roburiala of the dead , such hallowed revelries ? I would bo still , but this loud world , with over-startling sound , Mocking the cry of J ? eaco , peace , peace , ' where peace cannot do found , ' . ¦ ¦ •¦• ¦¦¦ Distracts my bosom—breaks the hush , which steals , like drowsiness , Upon the worn and weary heart , exhausted by distress . A most touching lyric treats the episode of her " . Son ' s Betrothed . " Tho dramatic interest of the situation , so to spoak , w fully brought out , and the fair mourner is discovered m her sorrow and despair , naturally questioning the mysterious Providence whioh had decreed tho blighting of her early hopes . Tho agony of her heart , the poignancy of tho thought , the flow of bittei tears , oxoecd onduranco— human enduranco—but not the measure of Divine pity . Man is impatient , whilo his Makor is compassionate . Accordingly , the poot demands : — " Shall man then prematurely pvencli , " While God romaineth muto ? ~ ¦ : ;¦ " : 7 T"THe" ] osiBotii 3 Ki 61 ihts ~ Bilonco- "toachr * " r ; : ¦ Man ' s eloquence oonfuto . For He who made tho Buffering heart , J ts gorrowB well may scan , And boar tho expression of their smart , ' , More patiently than man . Poor , stricken Ono ! a few more toars , A few more hopes unblost ; ' A few more disappointing years , And thouwilt bo at reat . " ' .

      * Autumns ^M. M** "G^Sstajfost L ""^ ***...

      * Autumns ^ m . m ** "g ^ SSTaJfoST l "" ^ ***** ' ^^ "'

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 14, 1860, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14071860/page/10/