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dunes, and further off to the south the green margin of the 

 land, but towards the east the extent of the lake is so great 

 that the sky and the water melt into each other as they do 

 at sea, while the few islands which are visible at first are a 

 long way off. 



In no part of this great lake of forty-five square miles* 

 does the depth of the water come above a man's middle, and 

 the bottom being formed of hard clay, one can stand or walk 

 about everywhere. It would therefore be impossible to get 

 drowned even during its sudden and violent storms, and the 

 worst thing that could befall anybody would be a good 

 ducking. 



In the winter months this lagoon is said to be literally 

 covered with all sorts of migratory birds, especially ducks and 

 geese ; but towards the end of March one can only count upon 

 finding the resident waterfowl and a few late-travelling 

 northern species, while the great numbers of Sea and Imperial 

 Eagles which live here in winter are all absent, and there are 

 only a few Spotted Eagles flying about the islands. 



We decided to separate at once and to take different lines, 

 but not to lose sight of each other, and to meet for lunch in 

 the middle of the day at a given signal. 



Some Pelicans were soon seen swimming about, but an 

 attempt to approach them in a small boat failed as usual, so 

 we continued our course in the dahabeeyah, and after a short 

 sail got into the region of the large and small islands with 

 which the centre of the lake abounds. They are all perfectly 

 flat, and generally surrounded by a ring of sandbanks, on 

 which are seen incredibly large flocks of Pelicans, much 

 larger than the islands themselves great rosy-white patches 

 glittering splendidly in the sun living islands, visible miles 

 away; that is what the great flocks of birds look like in 



Africa. 



* German. 



