458 ACROSS AFRICA. [Cilvp. 



CHAPTEK XXXV. 



The Lake System of Central Africa. — A Flaw in some Ancient Upheaval. — Correct 

 Position of the Tanganyika. — Kawele'. — Ras Kuugwe. — Kabogo Island. — Ruguvu. 

 — Coal. — Rapid Encroachment of the Lake upon its Shores. — Formation of Cliffs. 

 — Remains of an Inland Sea. — Makakomo Islands. — Gradual Disappearance. — 

 Constant Additions from Main-land. — Ras Musungi. — Loose Masses of Granite. — 

 Weather-worn Cliffs. — Fantastic Forms. — Numerous Land-slips. — Black Beaches. 

 — The West of Tanganyika. — A New Geographical Region. — The Rugumba. — 

 Black Speculum Ore. — The Kilimachio Hills. — Affluents of the Lualaba. — Under- 

 ground Dwellings. — The Lualaba and Kongo. — Changes in River Channels. — Bee- 

 culture. — A Barren Waste. — A Fertile Flat. 



The existence of a wonderful lake system in Central Africa, 

 of which Tanganyika forms part, seems to have been known to 

 the ancients, and if not actually ascertained was at all events 

 conjectured, by the earlier European explorers in Africa. Lat- 

 terly this lake system has been replaced in the ideas of geogra- 

 phers by expanses of desert. 



The suppositions of the first Portuguese travelers and mis- 

 sionaries are wonderfully near the truth, and maps of Africa 

 of two hundred years ago gave a far more accurate idea of the 

 interior of the continent than those of this century, before the 

 eyes of the world were opened by the discussion of old travels, 

 the theories of Mr. Cooley, and the discoveries of Burton and 

 Livingstone. 



The Tanganyika, Nyassa, and Albert Nyanza, in my opinion 

 — though of course this is only advanced as a theory — are in 

 tlie line of a great flaw in some ancient u]3heaval. 



Until I found the variation on Tanganyika to be 17° westerly, 

 that lake was laid down on the maps as running due north and 

 south ; and I believe that, when variation is allowed for, Lake 

 Nyassa will also be found to have a simihir inclination to the 

 meridian, both being parallel to the lines of upheaval of the 

 mountains of the coast range and of Madagascar. 



