Lake Victoria to Khartoum 



cause us to turn sharp to the north, our sturdy 

 Httle craft sHps along on the stream, under the 

 wing of the mountains on the left bank, which 

 overshadow our voyage till they are blotted out 

 by sleep. 



We awake next morning to find that the 

 scenery has changed. On either bank beautiful 

 woods, in which Duleil palms are occasionally 

 seen, alternate with open places which permit a 

 good view of a hilly country. We steam first on 

 one side of the river and then close in under the 

 opposite bank, according as the channel, which 

 does not vary very much, is known by the man 

 at the wheel. We leave Lake Albert and the 

 banks of rolling mist, through which only the 

 mountain-tops rise into view, shutting in the 

 horizon on all sides, and shape our course be- 

 tween where the eastern bank runs into a bare, 

 broad strip of land, and the hills on the west 

 approach the river. Soon these latter begin to 

 deserve the eulogistic appellation of mountains ; 

 below them are green downlands stretching to 

 the river. Numerous large herds of antelopes, 

 their red-brown skins blazinor in the sunlight, 

 graze near the river ; small troops of elephants 

 are sometimes to be discerned in this neisrhbour- 

 hood — which is a favourite haunt of theirs — 

 moving slowly along the bank ; and bands of 

 snarling, frightened monkeys take to flight as the 

 steamer follows the tortuous channel. 



44 



