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From September, 1819, to the end of 1832, Cailliaud, accompanied by a former midshipman named Letorzec, was occupied in exploring all the known oases east of Egypt, and in tracing the Nile to 10 degrees N. lat. On his first journey he reached Wady Halfa, and for his second trip he made that place his starting-point. A fortunate accident did much to aid his researches.
He then went with Letorzec to determine the position of the junction of the Atbara with the Nile; and at Assour, not far from 17 degrees N. lat., he discovered the ruins of an extensive ancient town. It was Meroë.
To Cailliaud and Letorzec we owe many observations on latitude and longitude, some valuable remarks on the variation of the magnetic needle, and details of the climate, temperature, and nature of the soil, together with a most interesting collection of animals and botanical specimens. Lastly, the travellers made plans of all the monuments beyond the second cataract.
It is a pleasure to us Frenchmen when we can quote the name of a fellow-countryman amongst the many travellers who have risked their lives in the cause of geographical science. Without abating our critical acumen, we feel our pulse quicken when we read of the dangers and struggles of such travellers as Mollien, Caillié, De Cailliaud, and Letorzec.
The two Frenchmen had preluded their discoveries by an excursion to the oasis of Siwâh. At the end of 1819 they left Fayum with a few companions, and entered the Libyan desert. In fifteen days, and after a brush with the Arabs, they reached Siwâh, having on their way taken measurements of every part of the temple of Jupiter Ammon, and determined, as Browne had done, its exact geographical position. A little later a military expedition was sent to this same oasis, in which Drovetti collected new and very valuable documents supplementing those obtained by Cailliaud and Letorzec. They afterwards visited successively the oasis of Falafre, never before explored by a European, that of Dakel, and Khargh, the chief place of the Theban oasis. The documents collected on this journey were sent to France, to the care of M. Jomard, who founded on them his work called "Voyage
Clapperton's second journey Arrival at Badagry Yariba and its capital Katunga Boussa Attempts to get at the truth about Mungo Park's fate "Nyffé," Yaourie, and Zegzeg Arrival at Kano Disappointments Death of Clapperton Return of Lander to the coast Tuckey on the Congo Bowditch in Ashantee Mollien at the sources of the Senegal and Gambia Major Grey Caillié at Timbuctoo Laing at the sources of the Niger Richard and John Lander at the mouth of the Niger Cailliaud and Letorzec in Egypt, Nubia, and the oasis of Siwâh.
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