20 JANUARY 1866, Page 3

M. du Chaillu should add a photographic lens and some . pre-

pared paper to his travelling apparatus. People did not believe him readily about the gorillas, and now they will be very sceptical about the Obongo. He says he met in the equatorial region of West Africa a race of little people called Obongos, and usually about a foot shorter than average Englishmen. He only measured one man, the rest running away, and he was small, but he measured a number of women, the tallest of whom. was 5 ft., while others ranged from 4 ft. 41 in. to 4 ft. 8 in. Anything is possible in equatorial Africa of course, but still, as these people seem smaller than the Lapps, and M. du Chaillu may one day meet a tribe with tails, the lens would be very useful.