Jan. 24, 1859.] ON THEIR DISCOVERY OF LAKE UJIJf. 115 



western brancli of the Nile. The river was then in 3" 30' n. lat., about 1370 

 feet broad, and falling very fast. Now I beg the President's attention to this 

 fact. It was falling very fast on the 26th of January — so fast that the expedi- 

 tion did not venture to proceed any farther, for fear they should not be able to 

 get back. The chief who resided there told them it would rise again in two 

 months, at the end of March, which would exactly correspond with the sun 

 coming to the north, becoming vertical near the equator. The river, therefore, 

 can have no connexion with the lake, nor with any lake south of the equator, 

 or it would not fall in the month of January : it would be rising at that time 

 by the rains which fall from the beginning of November to the end of May. 



With regard to the high lands spoken of, there cannot be the slightest doubt 

 about it. The mountain must be at least 21,000 feet high to have three 

 or four thousand feet of snow on the summit. It is utterly impossible an 

 European could be mistaken, with his eyes, his ears, his feet, his hands, when 

 crossing the base of the mountain, looking up to the top, and seeing the 

 snow upon it. Mr. Rebmann saw the mountain in his second journey for weeks 

 together. Two days before he reached Madjame, he encamped about 5 miles 

 from it, in a cold almost insupportable. Even by moonlight he could clearly 

 discern the snow. Next day he was not more than three miles from the 

 summit, then traversing the lower part of the mountain over numerous defiles 

 and chasms from 1500 to 2000 feet deep, with a great many streams of very 

 cold water. Madjame is situated near the south-west base of the mountain. 

 There, in the chief's residence, he saw the deep snow clad dome towering above 

 him for days together. North-east of it, about 10 miles, is a lower mountain, 

 which generally in the morning was white with snow, but which melted during 

 the day. Mr. Rebmann took the bearing n.w., from the Taita hills. The 

 distance from Mombas is at least 180 geographical miles. In two journeys 

 from Mombas to Ukembane, Dr. Krapf in each saw the mountain daily for 

 weeks together, and crossed rivers which descended from it. He could clearly 

 discern and distinguish the snow from clouds which occasionally covered it. 

 The height can hardly be less than 21,000 feet above the level of the sea; 

 17,000 feet above that level being the line of perpetual congelation, so near 

 the equator, and immediately under it. 



I also may observe with reference to the journey of Captains Burton and 

 Speke, that they could not have travelled more than ten miles a day on the 

 average. I am sorry that Speke is attempting to go away on an expedition to 

 the north, for I thitik it is very doubtful whether he will ever reach this 

 country again. I know something of the nature of tropical countries, and I 

 cannot conceive anything so wild — his sad state of health considered, I think 

 it is almost insanity — as this attempt to venture into an unknown country, 

 perhaps worse than the country he has traversed. 



With regard to the accounts given by the Arabs, I pay no attention to them ; 

 the Arabs make such gross mistakes about lakes of water. For instance, 

 where rivers run into a lake, they often say they run out of it, and it requires 

 great care and attention in examining their accounts in order to be correct. 



I beg that it may not be supposed for a moment that I wish to under-rate 

 in any way what Captains Burton and Speke have done. I have no hesitation 

 in saying that theirs is the most correct route we have, but I think there are 

 some parts of it that are not quite accurate, especially those portions on the 

 first high lands from the sea coast. 



To the west of the Kilimanjaro mountain, it was stated to the missionaries 

 that there was a large lake, which flooded the country to a great extent during 

 the rains, and when it receded left the whole country so covered with salt that 

 it formed an article of trade in the interior. It was also stated that a large 

 river ran into it from the north. With regard to the position of the lake in 



VOL. III. L 



