The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎122r] (96/186)

THE MONTHLY RECORD.
635
continuous chains, the dunes occur in the form of interlacing curves, usually taking
the outline of a truncated parabola, and enclosing spaces comparatively level. The
one branch of the parabola represented may have its curvature (which corre
sponds with the steepest slope) either towards the north or the south ; but the apex,
which is usually the highest point of the dune, is always at the east, the axis running
always east and west. Dunes of this nature appear characteristic of the primary
series, not being found among those of recent date. M. Dur&gne’s conclusions are
as follows: The mean direction of the winds to which the primary dunes were due
was from west to east. Their present form seems to be due solely to atmospheric
currents acting on undulations originally parallel to the meridian, and, from the
time of their fixation in that form, they have been entirely uninfluenced by littoral
deposits. They may thus be considered as continental dunes, a conclusion supported
by their comparison with some of the interior dunes of the plateau of the Landes.
M. Duregne holds that it is these primary dunes which have obstructed the courses
of the streams of this region, and that the lakes thus formed have therefore existed
without important alterations since the beginning of the historic epoch.
ASIA.
Bogdanovitch’s Exploration of the Stanovoi Mountains, Eastern
Siberia. —The Geographische Zeitschrift (1897, No. 11) gives a brief account of
Bogdanovitch’s expedition in Eastern Siberia, from a communication made by the
traveller to the Russian Geographical Society (Izvestia, 1897, No. 1). Leaving the
coast at Nikolaievsk at the end of 1895, the explorer and his party made their way
by land into the valley of the Uda, the thermometer remaining for weeks at from
40° to 50° below zero Fahrenheit. The depth of the snow made progress extremely
difficult. Chumukan, at the mouth of the Uda, was reached in February, 1896,
and the journey was continued through the north-eastern part of the Stanovoi range
(locally known as Jugjuru), important additions being made to our knowledge of
these mountains, which are composed of three parallel chains, and are rich in gold-
bearing rocks. Traces of gold are also seen in the watercourses. The programme
of the expedition, which is to occupy three years, includes the meteorological and
geological investigation of the whole of the borderlands of the sea of Okhotsk, in
cluding Western Kamchatka.
AFRICA.
The New Franco-German Boundary in West Africa.— An agreement
settling the conflicting claims of France and Germany in the Hinterland of the
Gold and Slave coasts was signed at Paris on July 9, 1897, and ratified on July 23.
The boundary is clearly indicated upon the accompanying sketch, which is based
upon the map attached to the treaty. Concessions, as is usual in such cases, have
been made by both parties to the dispute. The boundary, as fixed in 1885 and 1887,
ran along the meridian passing through Bayol island as far as lat. 9° north. It still
starts from the same point, but, on reaching the lagoon at the back of the coast, it is
drawn to a point 100 metres to the eastward of Bayol island, which is thus ceded
to Germany, and then follows the central channel of the lagoon, as far as the Mono
river, along which it is carried to lat. 7° north, after which it returns to the old
meridian of 1887, and follows it to the parallel, which is halfway between the
villages of Basila and Penesulu. The remainder of the boundary is clearly indi
cated upon the map. It terminates in long. 1° 32' west of Greenwich. France is
permitted, for four years, to make use of the routes connecting Kuande and Pama
with Sansanne Mango, and the latter with Gambaga, for the despatch of troops and
munitions of war. It will be understood that this agreement merely settles matters