LAKE VIOTOEIA NYANZA. 



35 



the papyrus and other aquatic plants. But according to Wilson the most general 

 appelation is simply Nyanza, that is, the " lake " in a superlative sense. 



South of Ukerewe a large bay penetrating far inland has by Stanley been named 

 after Speke, his precursor in the exploration of equatorial Africa. The stagnant 

 pools and lagoons fringing this inlet are infested by crocodiles of enormous size. 

 Others, which frequent the reedy banks of the Tangure, are by the natives regarded 

 as demi-gods, personifying the tutelar deity of the stream. Some of the islands are 

 in the undisputed possession of fierce hippopotami, grouped in regular tribes 

 and families, which tolerate the presence of no other large animals in their respec- 



Fig. 10. — Sources of the Nile and Nyanza Plateau. 

 Scale 1 : 7,200,000. 



110 Miles. 



tive territories. For the capture of these monsters the natives have constructed 

 boats of a peculiar build ; but such hunting expeditions are always attended with 

 great risk. 



The coastlands, which apart from a thousand small indentations have a circima- 

 ference of over 720 miles, present an endless variety of landscape. Along the 

 rocky shores the prevailing formations are everywhere gneiss, granite, or basalts. 

 But in some places the riverain tracts spread out in level, treeless plains, while 

 elsewhere the margin of the lake is skirted by high hills and even mountains 

 diversified with patches of verdure and enlivened by groups of villages. Between 



