Lake Victoria to Khartoum 



spectral forms of large bats flit through the 

 air ; the pennant-winged night-jar flies silently 

 with its long feathers fluttering behind ; bluish 

 lights mark the trail of large glowworms, and 

 buzzing moths in sombre garb are almost invisible 

 to the eye in the darkness of the night. A deep 

 sweet breath of peace is wafted over the face of 

 nature. 



On approaching a bigger village than usual, it 

 is no uncommon thing for a guide to report a 

 thorn in his foot, intimating that it is practically 

 impossible for him to march any great distance 

 on the morrow. Full well I know that this is 

 only an excuse in order to obtain an opportunity 

 for the porters to indulge in a good drinking bout 

 of " tembo," or local beer flavoured with bananas. 

 What can I do ? 



Forty miles or so from Lake Victoria brought 

 us to Kakindu, where navigation on the Nile 

 begins. This is rather an important little place 

 in its way as from here broad roads branch off 

 in all directions in Usoga, so the local steamer 

 service has plenty of hard work to perform in 

 the transporting of freight — chiefly produce — to 

 and fro. 



A tiny steam launch, the Victoria, a steel 

 boat, the Settima, and several enormous dug- 

 out canoes, each fashioned with chisel and fire 

 from the single trunk of a forest giant, comprised 

 the flotilla. We packed ourselves like so many 



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