OCR Text |
Show ItXPLOBlTIOAS) IXAriilCl. A UTlsnble Branch or IheZarabnl I'ODDd. IxjShon", Dec 22. From the reports re-ports cf II. II. Johnson, who has recently made explorations In Africa, Afri-ca, it "appears thai the Zambesi River will be. more valuable to co intra in-tra rce than has been believed, for a navigable branch has been found. It has long been known that the River Is the third or fourth largest river in Africa. In its central and upper portions, however, it cannot bo nav'gated cn account of rapids and fails. Its lower course, alio, has not been available for navigation naviga-tion from the sea, because as far as was kniwn not one of tho streams which form its delta could be nasi-gated nasi-gated by seagoing vessels. Two years ago Daniel Rankin surprised geographers by reporting that the Chindo mouth of the Zambesi Zam-besi could be traversed t all stages of the tide by ocean vessels. The news was received with considerable Incredulity, but Rankin was known to be a careful man and his retort upon his discovery was exhaustive, and seemed to be conclusive. He surveyed tbe Chindo River, and his map' was widely published. The recent expedition of II. H. Johuiton proved the accuracy of Rankin's report. He ascended the ChinJe mouth of tbe Zambesi lu a steamer drawing thirteen feet cf waterand had no difficulty at all lu reaching the main river. Her Majesty's ship SforX-, iu which he made this journey, is certainly tbe largest vessel that has yet been on the Zambesi. He left the SlorL when she had steamed forty miles up the river, as it was EOt deemed advisable to take ber beyond the tidal Influence. 'Die rest of bis journey up the Zambesi and Shisi Rivers was made iu small botts. Mr. Johnston says the trip, which formerly required seven days from the sea to the mouth of the r3hlbl Hirer can be made by steamer on the Chindo and Zambesi in three days and small ocean-going 'vessels can travel from Europe and penetrate pene-trate Africa for a considerable distance dis-tance in this direction. It has therefore been discovered that the Zambesi will be more useful to ym-nierce ym-nierce than was supposed. |