THE TEOGE ITS SOURCE UNKNOWN. 427 



of the water would permit, and left to themselves, perhaps, 

 as far as two hundred yards from terra jirma. On remon- 

 strating with the boatmen for not better securing our little 

 flotilla, they replied that any further precautions were un- 

 necessary, inasmuch as the water (which had already begun 

 to ebb) would shortly recede and leave the canoes diy on the 

 beach. I felt skeptical, but, nevertheless, allowed them to 

 liave their own way. In the course of the night it fell calm 

 (a fresh breeze had been blowing during the day), and next 

 morning we found that what the boatmen had predicted was 

 fulfilled ; the canoes were as far from the water as, on the 

 preceding evening, they had been from the shore. 



From the time that the wind fell the water began slowly 

 to return, and about nine o'clock in the morning it was at 

 its usual height, and the canoes floated once more without 

 any effort on our side. 



The Lake is fed by the Teoge at its northwest extremity. 

 The river never, perhaps, much exceeds forty yards ; but it 

 is deep, and, when at its greatest height, contains a large vol- 

 ume of water. Its annual overflow takes place in June, July, 

 and August, and sometimes even later. The source of the 

 Teoge is as yet unknown, but is supposed to be very distant. 

 It may probably have its rise on the same high table-land 

 as the Quanza, and other streams of importance. The main 

 course of the Teoge is northwest, but it is so serpentine that, 

 in thirteen days when I ascended it, traveling on an average 

 five miles per day, and reckoning two and a quarter miles to 

 the hour, I only made about one degree of latitude due north 

 of the Lake. As far as I proceeded, however, it was naviga- 

 ble with smaller craft ; for only in three places that I can 

 remember did I find less than five feet of water, and, gener- 

 ally speaking, the depth was considerable. It must be recol- 

 lected, however, that it was then at its greatest height. 



Though that portion of the Teoge ascended by me is nar- 

 row, I am told that, on approaching its source, it widens 



