366 THK WORLD'S WONDERS. 



DISCOVERY OF LAKE BANGWEOLO. 



ON July 18th, Livingstone's heart was gladdened by the dis- 

 covery of Lake Bangweolo, one of the largest bodies of water in 

 Central Africa, and thirty-six hundred feet above sea level. The 

 modesty with which he announces this important discovery is 

 remarkable, after reading Baker and Speke's self-laudations on 

 similar occasions. Livingstone does not even give " thanks for 

 being made the instrument in God's hands for exploring this 

 great lake, and adding so much to the geography of Africa." 

 His modest announcement is as follows: "Reached the chief 

 village of Mapuni, near the north bank of Bangweolo. On the 

 18th I walked a little way out, and saw the shores of the lake 

 for the first time, thankful that I had come safely hither." 



The people living near Bangweolo Lake are called Mboghwa ; 

 their features would not be unpleasant if they abstained from the 

 practice of filing their teeth to a point and tattooing their fore- 

 heads and chins. Their occupation is chiefly fishing, in which 

 they show much skill ; a singular thing is the fact that their fish- 

 hooks are made exactly like those we use in America, excepting 

 that there are no barbs on them. The shores of the lake being 

 shallow, many men may be seen on stilts strapped to their knees 

 on which they wade far out into the water and fish from their 

 precarious perch. 



A very large canoe, capable of carrying twenty men, was 

 engaged by Livingstone, and in this he visited several islands in 

 the lake, all of which he found thickly inhabited. The lake Is 

 computed to be one hundred and fifty miles long, by eighty 

 broad ; its water is clear as crystal and the bottom is of beautiful 

 white sand, so that objects are visible at a great depth. 



IN TROUBLE. 



LIVINGSTONE had gone directly away from Ujiji in proceeding 

 to Bangweolo, which is nearly one hundred miles south of Cas- 

 embe, but the importance of his discovery recompensed him for 

 the trouble he had encountered. But when he was about to return 

 to Casembe, the news reached him that hostilities had broken 



