Show I 1 n I 1 q k f ala r r 1 I 1 F L new lacil I 1 s 4 trench mccu of titus accoo add ai 40 to gecz geographical P ical although the occupation of too by the french has not yet added I 1 materially to tho the volume of Pr prances anees I colonial t trade rade it bs bps unquestionably added adde very dve greatly to our knowledge know I 1 e dge atal of of that part lot of africa says bays cie he edinburgh scotsman scotia ah and in particular parti cipar har hac resulted in a discovery ot sf singular interest and importance timbuctoo as all the world knows stands on tho boundary line between the sahara and the western soudan a little to the north of the great niger bend but what was not known was the existence in the immediate neighborhood of the city and lying somewhat to the west of a series of lakes and marshes covering a large area of country these great cheats of water were first seen by the joffre column and have since been explored by trench officers stationed in the neighborhood who have laid down their general outlines with some approach to accuracy the most important of these lakes is called lake and runs I 1 in n a direction roughly east and west its total length being some sixty or seventy miles A couple of smaller sheets of water connect with the niger and there are other lakes in the neighborhood As might be supposed these lakes are the center of V a rich agricultural ra I 1 and pastoral district in ric L crops of various kinds are arc grown in a abundance b e and atzie natives havo large flocks and herds perhaps the most curious feature of the di discovery is the fact that neither harth barth nor dr laz appears to have heard of this fertile region and it Is to be presumed that the guides deliberately led them away from the direction of the lakes tho the news of this discovery will no doubt revive the i interest in the occupation of tim bucton in france where after the first enthusiasm was over there was a marked tendency to criticism criticise critic ise col bon act as rush rash and premature a tendency rather strengthened than weakened by tho the recent trouble with the gs the results of observations vatious on the climate of that part of africa establish ta it Is wd said the perfect feasibility of europeans living there the whole year round with certain precautions the months of april and may are said to be the most trying not only for europeans rope ro alls but for natives but december and january are arc so cool that a great coat is sometimes welcome and the natives report that one year tee ice formed at least this is the deduction drawn from the native statement that the marsh became sicrie 11 |