Abstract
THE paper read at Monday's meeting of the Royal Geographical Society was by Captain Vangèle, giving an account of his exploration of the Welle-Mobangi river, the great northern tributary of the Congo. His first exploration was made in the end of 1886 in a flat-bottomed boat, the Henry Read, with a stern paddle-wheel. On this first journey Captain Vangèle did not succeed in getting beyond Mr. Grenfell's furthest, the Zongé Falls, just where the river turns sharply to the east. He gives an interesting account of the Ba-Ati, the people who inhabit the banks of the river, and who are in every way of a superior type, though cannibals. A little distance above its mouth the Mobangi or Ubangi measures about 2730 yards in breadth; its greatest depth is 5 fathoms, its lowest 1 fathom; it flows at the rate of 3¼ feet a second. Under the 4th degree, just below the rapids, it still has a breadth of 1300 yards, a depth of 4 fathoms, and a velocity of 4 feet a second. Between these two points, though continually varying in breadth, it never exceeds about 4000 yards, including the islands. The general appearance of the river is pretty much the same as that of the Congo near Bolobo—strewn with islands, and having low wooded banks. The colour of the water is a light brown. Captain Vangèle's second journey was made a year later, and with better means of forcing his way up the rapids of the Mobangi. This time, though he encountered several obstacles, he managed to push his way up the river to over 22° E. longitude, and to within sixty miles of Junker's furthest point on the Wellé. This has been accepted as clearly proving the identity of these two rivers, so that the long-standing problem of the Wellé may be regarded as solved. At his furthest point Captain Vangèle had to turn back owing to the hostility of the natives, the only instance in which he met with real opposition. Between rocks and islands, rapids and cataracts, the navigation of the lower Mobangi is beset with difficulties, though it is evidently practicable with suitable vessels, and a thorough knowledge of the river. The river is osubject to great variations of level, according to the season of the year. Above the Zongo Falls, the people, named Bakombé, differ considerably from those on the lower river, and evidently spread far inland. From above the Zongo rapids the river opens out, flowing straight from the north-east, and the outlook is described as superb. It is free from all obstacles, from 900 to olooo yards wide, with a depth of 12½ fathoms, flowing between banks 6 to 10 feet high, grassy plains alternating with clusters of trees. After thirty miles in the north-east direction the river turns due east, which direction it maintained to the end of the voyage, 170 miles. The banks are densely inhabited, and provisions of all kinds abound. Between the Zongo Falls and the steamer's furthest point only one tributary was met with—the Bangasso—coming from the north. After the paper was read, Sir Francis De Winton made some remarks with regard to the position of Mr. Stanley. He totally disbelieves the conjecture of Lieut. Baert that Stanley has any intention of taking Khartoum. On the contrary, Sir Francis believes he is now on his way home by the east coast.
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Geographical Notes . Nature 39, 421 (1889). https://doi.org/10.1038/039421a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/039421a0