ASIA.

Under the auspices and direction of the Russian Geographical Society, various journeys and explorations have been carried on in Siberia and in Central Asia.

A most important work has been the carrying of a line of levels along the Siberian road from Ekaterinburg to Irkutsk, a distance of 2236 miles, by which the exact heights of numerous important meteorological stations have been established. With the aid of the knowledge thus derived, it will no longer be impossible to trace isobaric curves over this region.

The determining of the precise differences of longitude by electric time-signals along the line of telegraph extending from Moscow to Vladivostock, now completed, is a work of immense importance, upon the results of which the geographical positions of points in Japan and China will hereafter depend.

Under the direction of the Siberian branch of the Russian Geographical Society, a careful exploration of Lake Baikal and the surrounding country has been carried on. Besides the regular bulletin of the society, containing a great amount of valuable material, the other publications of travels and explorations by members of the society afford abundant testimony to the zeal and ability which are constantly adding to the geographical knowledge of Russian territory.

The geographical results of Colonel Przewalski's expedition into Chinese Tartary, during the past year, are a survey from Kuldja for eight hundred miles into the interior of the country, seven determinations of latitudes and longitudes, many hypsometric measurements, and large botanical and zoological collections. He arrived at Lob Nor, as stated in the Record of last year, on February 11, travelling by the way of the valley of the Lower Tarim.

The height of the valley above the sea is about 2000 feet, and its topography is quite different from that represented on the maps, the survey and the astronomical determination of latitudes and longitudes giving quite a new aspect to the country.

He found the country on the banks of the Tarim and about Lob Nor very thinly settled-the people speaking

almost the same language as in Eastern Turkestan. He found Lake Lob Nor to be an enormous marsh, surrounded and partly overgrown by thick bushes.

About one hundred and twenty miles south of Lob Nor, Colonel Przewalski encountered a range of mountains more than 11,000 feet in height, called the Altyn-Tag, and appearing to be the spurs of a more important range.

The expedition started for Thibet in August last.

With great difficulty and danger, Captain Kurapatkin, another Russian explorer, has completed a journey in Kashgaria (between July, 1876, and April, 1877), the details of which have been communicated to the Paris Geographical Society.

M. Potanin is engaged, under the auspices of the Russian Government and the Russian Geographical Society, in a survey of Northwestern Mongolia, a work which was intended to last two years, dating from the summer of 1876. As, however, some trouble was experienced from Chinese authorities, he did not begin his task till April, 1877.

The reports of the Russian military expedition to the Alai and Pamir plateaux, by Colonel Kostenko, add very materially to the knowledge of the mountain chains of Central Asia, differing, however, essentially from the accounts recently published by Captain Trotter, R.E.

Colonel Stubendorff is preparing a map of the expedition; Usbel Pass, 14,400 feet above the sea, being the highest point indicated.

A treatise by M. Musscheketow on the volcanoes of Central Asia is of very general interest. Since his discovery of burning coal-layers in the basin of the Ili, he has been convinced that the volcanoes indicated by Humboldt in that and neighboring regions are simply such burning coal districts.

Although referring to the recent action of some extinct volcanoes, he altogether doubts the existence of true volcanoes in Central Asia, and adduces a large mass of evidence in support of this position.

While in command of a detachment of Cossacks protecting a caravan, sent by Russian merchants, Captain Pevtsow made observations which afforded the following results: A survey of the route, 560 miles long, from the Zaisan Lake to

the Chinese town Gu-chen, latitude 43° 50' N., longitude 90° 14' E., with maps of the towns, astronomical determinations of the positions of seven points, magnetic observations, barometric measurement of heights, a complete geographical exploration along the route, a collection of about one thousand species of plants and a large zoological collection.

The first volume of Baron von Richthofen's extensive work on China has been published. This volume of 760 pages treats principally of the geography of Central Asia and China proper, entering thoroughly into the formation of the surface, and other features of physical geography. The work, when completed, will be accompanied by an atlas of forty-four maps, constructed by the author, chiefly from Chinese sources.

Mr. James Morrison has commenced the publication in the Geographical Magazine of a large amount of geographical information regarding the almost unknown island of Formosa-the results of journeys there during the past year.

AFRICA.

The most important as well as the most interesting event relating to African geography during the past year has been the exploration of the Lualaba River by Mr. H. M. Stanley, and his demonstration of its identity with the Congo.

It is too soon to give any exact account of his discoveries, but his journey may be summarized in a few words, as follows: At the close of last year's Record, Stanley, with his party, was at Nyangwe, lying about four hundred miles west of Lake Tanganyika, and hitherto the western limit of exploration. Leaving there November 5, 1876 (after an exploration of Lake Tanganyika, with its creeks and inlets, occupying fifty-one days), they started to the westward; but, unable to make headway through the thick forests, crossed the Lualaba and continued their journey along the left bank. The tribes of savage cannibals offered a most determined opposition to their passage, both by land and water; and in the midst of their desperate struggle with the negroes, after having taken to their canoes to drift down the river, they came to a series of five cataracts, not far apart, south and north of the equator. With great hardship and suffering, the boats were dragged through the forest for thirteen

miles around these cataracts. Besides these falls, numerous rapids and lesser falls were met with, in passing which, as well as in battles with the natives, many of Stanley's followers lost their lives.

Mr. Stanley reports that in 2° N. latitude the river Lualaba changes its previous northerly course to northwest, then to west, then to southwest-a broad stream from two to ten miles wide, and studded with numerous islands.

In all, the expedition was obliged to fight thirty-two desperate battles in forcing its way down the Lualaba, although some friendly tribes were met with. As the river approaches the Atlantic it is known as the Kwango and the Zaire. It has an uninterrupted course of over fourteen hundred miles through the great basin lying between 9° and 26° of E. longitude, and has many magnificent affluents, especially on the southern side. Between this great basin and the Atlantic Ocean is a broad belt of mountains, after passing which the river descends by about thirty falls and furious rapids, then forming the stream heretofore known as the Congo.

On the 10th of August, 1877, the party, diminished and exhausted, reached Embomma, on the Congo, a short distance from the mouth; and shortly afterwards arrived at the Portuguese settlement of St. Paul de Loando.

Mr. Stanley's discoveries are discussed by Dr. Petermann in the Mittheilungen for December, 1877.

The English missionary stations on lakes Tanganyika and Ukerewe afford most valuable starting-points and bases of operation for scientific travellers, as has been proved by the experience of Lieutenant Young at Livingstonia, the station on Lake Nyassa. Parties from these stations are penetrating the country in various directions, and making scientific observations.

The new Geographical Society of Lisbon has awakened great interest in Portugal regarding her African colonies, too long given up to an ignorant and unworthy class of half-breeds, who have prevented any real progress and have fostered an illegal slave-trade. The government has lately made a large appropriation towards a scientific exploration and survey of the region between Angola and Mozambique, to investigate the connections between the river systems of the Congo and Zambesi.

A railroad is to be built from Loando to Ambaca, and from Delagoa Bay to the Transvaal Republic.

The International Commission for the Exploration and Civilization of Central Africa, set on foot by the King of Belgium, has established national committees in Belgium, Germany, Austria, Holland, Spain, Italy, France, Russia, Switzerland, and Portugal. The pioneers of this society, consisting of two Belgian officers, Captains Crespel and Cambier, and a naturalist, Dr. Maes, sailed on the 18th of October for Port Natal, whence they will make their way to Lake Tanganyika, where measures will be taken to ascertain whether it be possible to found a station on the shores of the lake, or, leaving a depot there, the station be fixed at Nyangwe and Manyuema. The place to be decided upon is to be used as a basis for further exploration, and agriculture will be carried on to make the expedition self-supporting. The society is amply provided with funds, and proposes to set on foot two large expeditions to penetrate from Loando and Zanzibar at the same time. There is every prospect that this united effort will succeed in solving some of the problems connected with the geography of Central Africa.

The Italian committee for the exploration of Africa held its first session at Turin in June, when it was decided to cooperate vigorously with the International Society. For the present the energies of the Italian committee will be devoted to the maintenance of a supply station at Shoa, regarding this as one of the most favorable stations from which to send out expeditions for the exploration of the interior.

In the proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society for June 11, 1877, is an account, by Bishop Crowther, of journeys up the Niger River between 1841 and 1871, and notes on the neighboring countries. The delta of the river, he states, is enormously large, extending along a coast line of 120 miles, with a breadth of 150 miles in some places.

As the Church Missionary Society has resolved to send out a small steamer drawing only three feet, most interesting and valuable results may be expected from further exploration.

Bishop Crowther's intimate acquaintance with the numerous tribes inhabiting this region (no less than thirteen separate tribes, speaking as many languages, being met in a jour