May 23, 1859.] DISCOVERIES OF BURTON AND SPEKE. 305 



direction of this fresh-water sea points directly to Garbo, the spot 

 in latitude 3° north reached by M. Ulivi, as related by Brun-Rollet, 

 a Sardinian, who had established a trading post at Belenia in lati- 

 tude 4P 50' north, on the White Nile in 1851. The north and south 

 direction of the Nyanza, which Speke believes to reach from south 

 latitude 2i^ to 3° 30' north latitude, brings us in fact beyond the 

 Garbo of Ulivi and Brun-Rollet.* 



The variations which occur in the height of the waters at different 

 seasons, in the interior plateau-country surrounding the great lake, 

 were strikingly described to Captain Speke by the Arabs, when they 

 assured him that at one season of the year the water lilies were so 

 abundant as to enable the traveller to pass over a wide river by 

 treading on their broad and thick floating leaves, showing how flat 

 the country must be, and how sluggish are the streams. 



Let us hope that when re-invigorated by a year's rest, the un- 

 daunted Speke may receive every encouragement to proceed from 

 Zanzibar to his old station, and thence carry out to demonstration 

 the view which he now maintains, that the Lake Nyanza is the 

 main source of the Nile. Considering the vast difficulties which beset 

 the traveller who attempts to penetrate southwards by ascending 

 the Nile, it seems to be preferable that the effort should be made 

 from Zanzibar, where Captain Speke is sure of being heartily sup- 

 ported by the Sultan, and whence, taking men on whom he could 

 rely, he can certainly calculate on reaching the Lake Nyanza in 

 good plight, for that zone of Africa which he has passed through is 

 now ascertained to be occupied by a much more tranquil people 

 than those of the countries north and south of it. 



On former occasions I contended that the periodical overflow of 

 the waters from the internal fresh-water lakes was explicable by the 

 fact, that at certain periods of the year, differing of course in 

 different latitudes, the rain-fall of several months would at last so 

 supersaturate the interior plateau-lands and lakes as to produce 

 periodical annual discharges. That the lofty mountains of the coast- 

 range, of which Kenia is the chief peak, may throw off certain 

 feeders of the White Nile, just as the mountains of Abyssinia feed 

 the Blue Nile, must probably be the case ; but whilst it may be 

 admitted that little snow may occupy the peaks or summits of 



* M. Jomard has analysed and compared the discoveries of M. Brun-Rollet, who gives 

 some information derived from De Angelis, who resided at Belenia in 1851, which is 

 worthy of attention. But speculations founded on such uncertain data are of no great 

 value. 



