WORLD'S WONDERS. 199 



plunges, at one leap, over a precipice 120 feet deep into an abyss 

 below, forming one of the grandest waterfalls on the known 

 globe. Baker designated these as the Murchison Falls, in honor 

 of the President of the Royal Geographical Society of England. 

 The river below the falls is one hundred and eighty feet wide, 

 clear and sluggish ; in fact, the current is almost imperceptible. 

 The banks, at places, are high and precipitous ; but the beach is 

 generally flat and sandy, and crocodiles are so numerous that a 

 hundred or more may be counted without moving from one 

 position. While Baker was sketching the falls, a crocodile came 

 up so near the canoe that he shot it ; the noise of the gun 

 frightened the native canoemen so badly that they dropped their 

 paddles and allowed the boat to swing around onto some rushes, 

 when a hippopotamus, surprised in its retreat, rushed under the 

 canoe and almost capsized it. The thought of being dumped out 

 among thousands of voracious crocodiles was anything but agree- 

 able, so a landing was quickly made to await the riding oxen that 

 had been sent overland and were expected the following day. 



True to appointment, the oxen came, but their condition was 

 so bad from fly bites that they were scarcely able to walk, so that 

 riding them was out of the question. The overland journey now 

 began by ascending to the high plateau far above the falls. 

 Baker and his wife were again stricken down with fever, so that 

 she had to be carried, while he was barely able to proceed by the 

 aid of a staff. In this miserable condition they continued on to 

 the next village through a drenching rain. On reaching the 

 village, they were placed in a hut so badly dilapidated that the 

 clouds overhead were visible through its leaky roof ; nevertheless, 

 this was the best that could be done, and here they lay on an 

 oxhide, spread upon the soggy ground, all night, while torrents 

 of water poured over them continually. 



At this place the guide and porters previously furnished by 

 Kamrasi deserted them, the intention apparently being to leave 

 them in this sickly and destitute locality until they should either 

 die or Baker with his force of thirteen men would agree to join 

 the king in his war on Rionga. During their journey to the lake 



