To Lake Albert Edward i8i 



swim. Ropes had to be stretched across the deepest places, by 

 aid of which the carriers, who could hardly touch the bottom, had 

 to feel their way. Occasionally they floundered into holes, and 

 momentarily disappeared with their loads under the surface of 

 the water. Although the memory of this very unpleasant march 

 will doubtless long remain with them, none of them, fortunately, 

 sustained permanent injury. 



I profited by the day's rest we allowed ourselves to make a 

 little excursion into the interior, but found nothing of remarkable 

 interest. After going over a terrace-shaped formation we reached 

 a high-lying plain, where we came upon some straw mattresses, 

 bearing witness to the activity of the English Boundary Survey 

 Commission, which had been working there about six months pre- 

 viously. The question at the time had been a re-examination 

 with respect to the thirtieth degree longitude, which marked the 

 boundary between the Belgian and the English territories, as some 

 dissension had arisen between the two countries with regard to its 

 true position. The British as well as the Belgian Commissions 

 entrusted with the work had meanwhile moved further north, and 

 were quartered on the River Semiliki in the neighbourhood of 

 Ruwenzori. 



The population there is fairly large. Agriculture and the 

 breeding of small stock are the chief pursuits. The natives know 

 how to make the latter pretty lucrative, as the prices for sheep 

 and goats often run exceedingly high. Whilst we only had to 

 pay very moderate prices in German territory, the prices here rose 

 to two or three doti ; that is, four to six arm-lengths of stuff, three 

 to five rupees in value. This rise in prices is increasing constantly 

 in districts inhabited by Europeans. Thus, for instance, at 

 Stanleyville and also on the Aruwimi a sheep costs twenty-five to 

 thirty-six francs, a fowl or duck five francs. As such high prices 

 would have ruined our treasury, and as we could not take a herd 

 of small stock with us, the feeding of our caravan followers 

 became a difficult question. Lieutenant von Wiese endeavoured 

 here, where the prices might still be called moderate, to acquire a 

 small stock, which would provide us with meat until we reached 



