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Mat 16, 1857.] THE LEADER. 475
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DR. BARTIFS TRAVELS AND DISCOVERIES. t v...
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LONDONERS AT EASE. The Night Side of Lon...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Mat 16, 1857.] The Leader. 475
Mat 16 , 1857 . ] THE LEADER . 475
Dr. Bartifs Travels And Discoveries. T V...
DR . BARTIFS TRAVELS AND DISCOVERIES . t vein and Discoveries in North and Central Africa : being a Journal of an JEzpeditlon in the Years 1849-1855 . By Henry Uarth , Ph . D ., D . C . L . In 5 vols . Vols . I . II . and III- . I'ongman and Co . D Barth as au . African explorer , was neither the rival nor the colleague of IV Livingstone . . Between the two pilgrims , of science , as they wandered ' ' barbarous nations , lay the immense region from Zanzibar to the ^" uths- of the Niger , embracing the middle continent of Africa . Dr . t " " in " ¦ stone ' s , farthest point north was - Loan da , in the ninth degree of south 1 titude Dr . Burth ' s farthest point south was at Yola , in the ninth degree f north ' latitude . While Dr . Livingstone was tracing the rivers and ridges Levond the Kalahari Desert , and from Quilhnane on the east to Congo on the west , D ^ - Barth was sojourning in the strange kingdoms between Tripoli and Bornu , Timbuktu , and Darfur . It may remain for one of these adventurous geograp hers to penetrate the labyrinths that divide those vast
countries—perhaps to follow the course of some stream from Ngami to the sources of the Nile , or some highway from Dr . Earth ' s Adamawa to Dr . Livingstone ' s Dilolo . "Without , however , anticipating the enterprises of the future we will point to the german companion of Richardson and Overweg as worthy to stand in history in association with the most distinguished of African travellers . His researches extended over the ruin-sprinkled Hainmada , beyond Tripoli , Fezzan , the kingdoms of Bormi , Baghirnii , Adamawa ' , Bambara , Songhay , and Gando , and the savage Sokoto Empire . He was everywhere exposed to fatigue , and often to danger ; his personal adventures were of the most striking character ; but his chief claim to notice is , of course , that lie contributes largely to our knowledge of Africa , and lets in a European lig ht upon large spaces of populous territory hitherto only dimly visible through the medium of faintly-drawn sketches and obscure
The three solid volumes now published , out of five which are to complete the narrative , contain such a plenitude of information on the natural and social aspects of interior Africa , that no analysis , however elaborate , could do justice to their contents . Every chapter presents matter of more original interest than an ordinary volume of travels . This is high praise , bufit is due to the intelligence and zeal of Dr . Barth , who pursued his adventure with unflinching courage , neglected no opportunities , and added to his written journal a considerable number of illustrations which are now hscreditable to
reproduced , some as woodcuts , others as tinted lithograp , the artist , the engraver , and the colourist . "We can only hope , therefore , to indicate the scope of this great traveller ' s explorations ; the educated reader will find himself tempted to share the interest of a daily recocd of life in the depths of the African interior , the excitement of discovery , the pleasant pulsation that accompanies the recital of past adventures . Dr . Barth having made the Mediterranean coasts familiar to his eye , spent a Ion" - period among the Arabs of Barbary , and acquainted himself minutely ' with that state of human society where the camel is man's daily companion ,
and the culture of the date-tree his chief occupation . He journeyed into the desert tracts , round the Great Syrtis , and through the Cyrenaica towards Egypt ; he wandered for more than a month in the wild valleys between Aswan and Koser , and pursued his way overland through Syria and Asia Minor to Constantinople . Thus indurated in travel , he looked -wistfully at the unknown or little known expanse of Central Africa , and yearned to tread the soil farther than Carthagenian feet had ventured . " Please God , you shall see Kano , " said a llansa slave to him at Kaf , in the regency of Tunis . Now Kano is a Sokoto city , and we can sympathize with the thrill that vibrated to the traveller ' 3 heart when he thought of piercing the immensity of dangerous distance that Richardson
stretched between him and Kano . When Mr . was appointed upon an exploring expedition to central Africa , Dr . Barth and Dr . Overweg volunteered to accompany him , and their offer was accepted . Mr . Richardson's travels have already been narrated in two admirable volumes , written as with a literary pencil colouring and animating the entire story ; but even to this Dr . Barth has been enabled to add . His stay in A ' gades opened a deeper view of the life , the history , and the geography of those regions , and brought him into contact with Timbuktu . We beg that such of our readers as are doubtful whether they will send for these three volumes , to note the details in the following extract from Dr . Barth'a preface , which is admirable for its modesty , its lucid concisenessas Gibbon might phrase it , its ' copious brevity : '— southiuv \
Extending over a tract of country of twenty-four degrees from north to , twenty degrees from cast to west , in the broadest part of the continent of Africu , my travels necessarily comprise subjects of great interest and diversity . After having traversed vast deserts of the most barren soil , and scones of tho most frightful desolation , I met with fertile lands irrigated by large navigable rivers and extensive central lakes , ornamented with tho iinost timber , mid producing various species of grain , rice , soaamum , ground-nuts in unlimited abundance , thu sugar-cane , Ac , together with cotton and indigo , tho most valuable commodities of trade . Tho whole of Central Africa , from Bugfrmi to the oast as far us Timbuktu to the west ( as will bo seen in my narrative ) , abounds in these products . Tho natives of tho . Mo regions not only weave their own cotton , but dye their home-made shirts with thoir own indigo . Tho river , tho far-famed Niger , which gives access to these regions by moans of its eastern branch tho Bdnuwc , which I discovered , nllbrda an uninterrupted navigable sheet of water for more than six hundred miles into tho vary heart of tho country . JUb western branch is obstructed by rapids at the distance of about three hundred and . fifty miles from tho coast ; but oven at that point it is probably not impasaablo in tho present state of navigation , while , higher up , the river opens an
immonse highroad for nearly ono thousand miles into tho very heart ol > N eatern Africa , so rich in every kind of produce . Tho samu diversity of soil and produce which the regions traversed by mo exhibit ia « lao observed with respect to man . ( Starting from Tripoli in the north , wo proceed from tho aettlenionta of the Arab and tho Berber , the poor remnants of tho vast empires of the middle ages , into a cduntry dotted with splendid ruina from tho period of tho Roman dominion , through tho wild roving hordes of the . TawaVok , to tho Nogro nnd half-Negro tribea ^ and to tho very border of tho South African nations . In tho regions of Central Africa . there exista not ono uud tho same stock , aa in South Africa ; but tho greatest , diversity , of Uiboa , or rather nations , prevails , with idioms entirely distinct .
Observe the significant import of this passage . Dr . Barth discovered the Benuwe ; he marks a succes-sion of fertile and populous teri'itoriei in the heart of Africa , a double line of river navigation extending six hundred miles in one direction and a thousand miles in another ; he finds a soil yielding the most valuable produce in abundance , and a people carrying on an extensive system of agriculture and manufactures . His discoveries , in fact , are parallel with those of Dr . Livingstone in the north . We confess that such a relation has for us an intense interest ; we are sure that no serious reader will be disappointed in the narrative of Dr . Earth , which , sprinkled with anecdotes , varied by glittering descriptions of landscapes and manners , written with vigour and simplicity , and disclosing amid the gloom of Africa the secrets of centuries , is a lich repertory of knowledge , and deserves to take its place amonir the classics of travel .
Londoners At Ease. The Night Side Of Lon...
LONDONERS AT EASE . The Night Side of London . By J . Ewing Ritchie , Author of " The London Pulpit . " Tweedie . It is Mr . llitchie's misfortune that his intellect has been gagged by a fanatical idea . His lips move , but his mind does not speak . Plainly , he writes from that pillar hungwitli chains , a special point of view , and pitches his voice to follow the lead of those who revile in language often as impure as the water they praise— ' the hellish potion of the drunkard . ' The intemperate advocacy of temperance has been the means of causing a clever writer to spoil a well-intentioned book . Mr . Ritchie seems to live in the abhorrence of gin ; consequently , bis sketches reek of stale tobacco and poisoned spirits , as such vehemently abstinent sketches usually do . But a . still worse effect is produced by this monomania . It seduces him into positive injustice . Were his volume of more importance than it is , we should be inclined to question its morality , not because it treats of the Traviata world , but because it deals in dishonest insinuations . Mr . Ritchie writes with all the bitterness of insincerity ; at least , only two classes of men are ever so addicted to the use of words so hard with reference to such topics ;
those who remember the malignant results of repented excesses , and those who buy cant in the cheapest market to sell it in the dearest . Of course we are not to suppose that the Night Side of London is the confession of a sinner ; it savours strongly , however , of business-like vituperation . Mr . Ritchie fh ' c-t glances at the miserable aspects of London ; but liis tendency is towards those which he calls the wicked . He considers our metropolis no better than Paris , Hamburg , or Vienna . Perhaps it is not ; but Mr . Ritchie does not prove his case . He attacks things , places , and classes that are respectable , borrows a title for his work from Mrs . Crowe , and appeals intensely and exclusively to sucli readers as are disposed to improve every occasion by thinking evil of their fellows . This is not his design , of course ; perhaps he would not believe that his chapters are susceptible of such an interpretation ; but between an author's performance and his meaning there is often a wide difference . We will object to none of Mr . Ritchie ' s ejaculations against the punishment of death , as carried out in public ; his picture is vivid " and , us he phrases it , suggests the idea of a ghastly dream . But
what good does he propose to himself , or to civilization , by his notice of Catherine - street ? It tells no one anything — unless a stray country visitor in search of life should imbibe its inspirations . Bals Masques , we all know , are the revels of idiots , buffoons , and profligates ; but with what object does Mr . Ritchie point up the llaymarket ? "Canterbury Hall , " he says , is , " compared with many of the places frequented by both sexes , a respectable place ;' but he has an eye of horror for the glasses and tankards . He is welcome to say his worst of the Judge and Jury Clubs , although he advertises those dens of debauchery to the extent of his circulation , liut his accounts of the Discussion Clubs and Sunday Music Halls and Gardens are distorted by a weak fanaticism . We do not see why such a volume should be published or read . Its only influence will be exerted upon young people in search of a finger-post to point the way to scenes forbidden by Paterfamilias and to circles in which Mr . Ritchie , by his own account , seems to have figured largely . He brings up the rear of a phalanx , some leaders of which , no doubt , have come to grief without the aid ot' joyin-the-heart-of-man-inspiiing purple wine , gift of the groat Bucchus . Here
id a sample of his reasoning : — Could we not do without lunatic asylums , if sociefy gave up its drinking customs ? Not exactly ; but their number might bo very much decreased . Two-thirds of our lunatics become ho through drink . 'T hey are very bad at first , sir , " said one of my informants to me , " but after a little while they get quieter , and perhaps they are cured in two or throe mouths . " And yet I find all these lunatics are supplied with beer . " They has two half-pints a day , sir , and when they work they gets two halfpints more , and very good beer it is , sir , " continued my informant , " as strong as any man need drink . " Now is not this preposterous ? Men who drink till they become lunatics should be taught to do without it ; but they arc allowed their beer even in tho asylum , and when they go out they begin drinking again , and of course relapse . Thus we keep feeding our lunatic asylums at tho very timo wo profess to cure lunatics . 1 admit these places are in nmny respects well managed—that tho buildings are commodious—that tho attention id good —that the governors are humane , and tho medical oflUiora vigilant ; bat which is the truer humanity , to take care oi tho man when in a lunatic asylum , or to Keep him out of it altogether ?
We , quite 213 much as Mr . ltilchie , abhor tho beery lulminations of spoiiturs who nightly crack their own throats , and their listeners' onr . i , ia the parlours of licensed forums , whoso efforts are culled brilliant , but who to tho common eye of the world are for ever us dim as the lost pluiad of antiquity . Tho orator becomes husky and his audience are muddled , and thus tho a flair begins and ends . But why all this virtuous indignation ? Why attempt to popularise folly under tlio pretence of inveighing against intoxicating liquors ? Whutsocrct esoteric difference is there in the moral nature of two men , of whom ono will wrilo , This year the must shall foam Kouncl the white fou , t of laughing girla Whose sires have marched to Koine , or , O for 11 beaker full of tho warm south , Vull of tho true , tho blushful Hippocrono ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 16, 1857, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16051857/page/19/
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