On Monday Dr. Donaldson Smith—an American traveller —read a paper
before the Geographical Society on his journey south through Somaliland to Lakes Rudolf and Stephanie and thence to the Tana River. Many interesting facts emerged from the journey. To begin with, the travellers found the Abyssinian troops on the border of the Galls country armed with Remingtons and Chassepots and thoroughly drilled." Next they discovered a great cave, carved out of a quartz mountain by a river,—" a superb underground palace, with columns, arches, and altars, ap- parently of whitest marble and of ornate and regular design." Other interesting facts are noted,—the damage done to the camp by the frequent charges of the rhinoceroses, who ap- parently in that part of Africa are not in the least shy, and a new race of dwarfs only 5 ft. high. We cannot find space for more of the details, but must notice the extraordinarily enthusiastic reception accorded by the meeting to the American Ambassador. Mr. Bayard acknowledged the way in which he had been greeted with real emotion. It is the one pleasant feature of the present situation as regards America that on neither side has the slightest private and personal ill-feeling been displayed.
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