128 THE SEMLIKl VALLEY 



to be. Consequently, if we abide by our agreement, 

 we give up to the Congo Free State the whole of 

 our share of Lake Albert Edward and almost the 

 whole of Ruwenzori. It is very much to be re- 

 gretted that so excellent a natural feature as the 

 main ridge of Ruwenzori, or, better still, the Semliki 

 River, was not selected as the boundary in the first 

 instance. An artificial boundary, such as one follow- 

 ing a parallel of longitude, besides being expensive 

 in its construction and maintenance, must inevitably 

 come into conflict with native customs and tribal 

 distributions, and would be an endless source of 

 annoyance. The salt lake at Katwe, to which the 

 King of Toro has an ancient title, would be cut off 

 from his dominions, and that would almost certainly 

 lead to trouble and complications. If the Semliki 

 River were taken as the frontier, we should lose a 

 certain amount of territory on its left bank near 

 Lake Albert ; but the gain in the ease of adminis- 

 tration would more than compensate for the loss. 

 In any case (but this savours, perhaps, too much of 

 the jingo mountaineer!) it is to be hoped that after 

 having lost Kilimanjaro to the more successful 

 diplomacy of the Germans, we shall succeed in 

 keeping the Mountains of the Moon within the 

 British Empire. 



The temporary boundary between the two States 

 is the little River Nyamkassam, which flows from 

 Ruwenzori into the north end of Lake Albert Edward 

 — the same stream which we had found overflowing 



