CHAPTER XIX 



LAKE NO 



THERE is no real "lake" at Lake No. Despite its high- 

 sounding title, Lake No is nothing more than a magnified 

 mere, its limits lost amidst indefinite wastes of papyrus- 

 sudd, its exiguous open spaces everywhere intercepted by 

 island-jungles of tall swamp-plants. We circumnavigated 

 its whole expanse, rarely finding a depth exceeding 6 or 

 8 feet, and can scarce call to mind a more dismal and less 

 interesting region. Even in respect of wild-life, Lake No 

 is featureless and uninspiring. 



Geographically, however, its site is important in two 

 regards. Firstly, it marks the meeting of two great 

 African water-systems that of Nile, descending from 

 Equatoria, with those from the west represented by 

 the Bahr-el-Ghazal ; and secondly, as being the northern 

 gateway of " The Sudd." 



Twice we have sojourned at the actual junction 

 Mogrem, the spot is called, signifying "The Meeting 

 of the Waters " our vessel moored to one of the marly 

 islets that guard the entrance to Lake No. By what 

 geological process marl has intruded in this lacustrine 

 area (otherwise all swamp or black "cotton-soil") we 

 know not. The surrounding region is a universal dead- 

 level steppe, but being relieved by scattered mimosa 

 woods, shelters a fair variety of big-game. The swamps 

 form the headquarters of the saddle-backed lechwi and of 

 the situtunga ; while the prairies harbour hartebeests, roan, 

 tiang, cob, reedbuck, and oribi, all persistently hunted by 



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