LAKE RUDOLPH 259 



then went on to the water. It was necessary to halt for some 

 time there for the men to cook, and to allow all to rest a while. 

 We then had more climbing over rocky hills, and it was not 

 till afternoon that we began the final descent towards the lake, 

 which was now really not far off. But we still had many steep 

 and difficult ridges of broken lava to negotiate, and at dusk we 

 were compelled to bivouac again without having reached the 

 shore, and to sleep once more without water, under a cliff 

 which gave a little shelter from the gale that was blowing. 



At last, early on the morning of 6th December, we came 

 down the last step and reached the shore, and I had the satis- 

 faction of drinking and bathing in the bitter water of Lake 

 Rudolph. It is a desolate and forbidding land, but with a 

 wild grandeur of its own which had a great charm for me. 

 Rugged hills of bare, broken lava of all-sized chunks and every 

 kind of volcanic product, with hardly a vestige of vegetation, 

 rose all around from the water's edge. One perfect crater was 

 visible at the south-west corner of the lake. It may be 

 Teleki's volcano, but I saw no signs of activity. 



We struck the lake at the south-east corner, and what we 

 had to do was to follow its shores round the eastern side to 

 its northern extremity. I knew that, though we might have 

 difficulties, we could not lose ourselves nor want for water, and 

 of food we had ample supplies, so I felt confident of reaching 

 Reshiat. We did not go much farther that day, but camped 

 on a pleasant bay where a deep gully came in. There were 

 some mimosa trees, lots of firewood, and good pickings for the 

 donkeys — all desirable attributes of a camping-ground, and by 

 no means everywhere to be found in this inhospitable region. 

 The ground was all stones, of course, — there is nothing else 

 there, — but I pitched my tent by tying the ropes to boulders. 

 It was necessary to make all securely fast, as a violent gale 

 blew unceasingly day and night now. The men caught lots of 

 fine fish of several kinds and enjoyed themselves immensely, 

 for Swahilis are very fond of fish and fishing. One of them 



