308 EXTRACTS FROM 
dunes, and further off to the south the green margin of the 
land, but towards the east the extent of the lake is so great 
that the sky and the water melt into each other as they do 
at sea, while the few islands which are visible at first are a 
long way off. 
In no part of this great lake of forty-five square miles* 
does the depth of the water come above a man’s middle, and 
the bottom being formed of hard clay, one can stand or walk 
about everywhere. It would therefore be impossible to get 
drowned even during its sudden and violent storms, and the 
worst thing that could befall anybody would be a good 
ducking. 
In the winter months this lagoon is said to be literally 
covered with all sorts of migratory birds, especially ducks and 
geese; but towards the end of March one can only count upon 
finding the resident waterfowl and a few late-travelling 
northern species, while the great numbers of Sea and Imperial 
Hagles which live here in winter are all absent, and there are 
only a few Spotted Eagles flying about the islands. 
We decided to separate at once and to take different lines, 
but not to lose sight of each other, and to meet for lunch in 
the middle of the day at a given signal. 
Some Pelicans were soon seen swimming about, but an 
attempt to approach them in a small boat failed as usual, so 
we continued our course in the dahabeeyah, and after a short 
sail got into the region of the large and small islands with 
which the centre of the lake abounds. They are all perfectly 
flat, and generally surrounded by a ring of sandbanks, on 
which are seen incredibly large flocks of Pelicans, much 
larger than the islands themselves—great rosy-white patches 
glittering splendidly in the sun—living islands, visible miles 
away; that is what the great flocks of birds look like in 
Africa. 
* German. 
