92 CANOES AND A VOYAGE 



reached its maximum, and the pressure is presumably 

 relieved by migration of the animals from Nkosi by 

 swimming across to Buguye a.nd Kirugu Islands, and then 

 by secondary dispersion to the large islands further 

 north. 1 



It is an interesting problem how far this antelope can 

 swim — for from the little islet Lukiusa, which could be 

 used as a stepping-stone, it is at least two miles to the 

 nearest neighbour, and open rough water has to be crossed. 



Even more interesting is the possible presence on Nkosi 

 of a species of Cercopithecns monkey ; for as we gently 

 drifted before the wind uj) the west side of the isle the 

 voice of a monkey was heard among the trees. I much 

 regret that I did not see the animal, for it is of course 

 possible that the noise may have been made by a parrot, 

 since I have certainly heard one imitate a monkey on 

 Kisigalla Isle. 



The return journey from Nkosi to camp was easy, for 

 wind and sea followed and helped us along, and I got 

 back at 4*15 a.fter a most interesting dsby. 



Next morning it was calm and clouded, and we broke 

 camp and got a^ay at 6- 45, having an uneventful run 

 as far as Fumve, taking a course this time along the east 

 coast, which is very picturesque. 



The whole side of the island forms a sort of huge 

 amphitheatre backed by wooded slopes, and in the centre 

 of the foreground rises extremely steeply from the water a 

 flat topped, grassj'^ hill, almost as high as the rest of the 

 island, about three hundred feet, making one think of a 

 great altar in the centre of the amphitheatre. As we 

 passed Fumve a thunderstorm came up behind us from 

 the south-east, and I had to alter course, for it had been 

 my intention to return along the east side of Bubembe, 



^ Major R. Meiiiertzhagen, F.Z.S., who visited Nkosi in one of the 

 lake steaiTiers during thf war, estimated that there must be two hvmdred 

 Situtniga on the island, and that they were sulficiently different from the 

 Bugalla forms to bo called a sub-species. (See Chapter VII.) 



