Lake Albert 



When I reached the top of the hill I presented 

 her with some cents, and bade them all farewell as 

 I jumped up and rode off. On looking back over 

 my shoulder, I saw my young friend running after 

 me as hard as she could go — and run she could, 

 too ! I slowed up to entice her on to give her a 

 chance of showing her speed, which was marvellous, 

 but coming to a slight downward gradient I soon 

 left her far behind. 



I now continued on my way without any serious 

 check, until I arrived at the escarpment. This 

 escarpment is a long, high ridge skirting the shores 

 of the lake, and closely resembles the downs of 

 Sussex. It is covered with short grass, and is 

 fairly open. It formed a pleasing change to the 

 eternal tall and ubiquitous elephant-grass, of which 

 one grows so tired. 



From the summit of this ridge I caught my 

 first glimpse of the Albert Nyanza. If I were an 

 American I should use the expression " stunning," for 

 it absolutely brought me to a halt. I felt I wanted 

 half an hour to take it all in. I, of course, had been 

 prepared for it; but just imagine the astonishment 

 of its original discoverer. Sir Samuel Baker, when 

 he suddenly came upon it, at a time when its exist- 

 ence was nothing but a vague suspicion. On the 

 far side, the escarpment fell away precipitously down 

 to the flat bushy country, which fringed the margin 

 of the lake, across whose vast expanse of water 

 could be seen the Blue Belega Mountains hemming 

 it in on the far side. One might have been on the 



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