1 62 A SAIL UPON THE ALBERT LAKE. 



station, Wadelai, and I received letters from there in two and a 

 half days. The route is as follows : — Fatiko to Jebel Nurvira 

 (Jebel-el-Ajuz), five to six hours ; Jebel Nurvira to Fagak, six 

 hours ; and from there to the river, two and a half to three 

 hours. 



5. A Sail upon the Albert Lake (1885). 

 (A Letter to Dr. Felkin.) 



THE NILE ABOVE WADELAI — THE LAKE — A WOODING-STATION — WATER- 

 FOWL — MAHAGI AND ITS NEW ISLAND— KABRJGA'S AUTHORITY ON 

 THE WEST BANK — A STORMY PASSAGE — EROSIVE ORIGIN OF THE 

 LAKE — KIBIRO AND ITS BRINE SPRINGS — FISHERMEN — A NATURALIST'S 

 RAMBLES — RETURN TO THE NORTH. 



A few miles south of Waclelai the river (Bahr-el- Jebel), which 

 hitherto has been flowing between two parallel ranges of hills 

 in a bed only one-third of a mile wide, suddenly expands to a 

 breadth of nearly two and a half miles. This broad expanse of 

 water is studded with numerous small islands formed of reeds 

 and papyrus, and its shallow bays, even in seasons of high 

 water, harbour herds of hippopotami. Cautiously the steamer 

 glided over the shallows, permitting us to view numbers of 

 pelicans swimming about and pursuing their business of fishing, 

 and groups of black heron-like Anastomus standing in small 

 companies knee-deep in the water. Owing to a plentiful supply 

 of good dry wood, the Khedive was able to steam at high pres- 

 sure, and so we soon reached the landing-stage of Fabongo, 

 from which place the road for Anfina's village branches away. 

 The village of Fabongo, which is inhabited by Aliiri, lies a short 

 distance back from the river. The landscape along the river to 

 the south is not specially interesting, if we except the majestic 

 river itself, which is the best part of the scene. The western 

 bank is bordered by a chain of hills, which is for the most part 

 thinly wooded, and which, whilst generally hiding from sight a 

 second range behind it that runs down to the lake, yet allows 

 its summits to be visible from time to time. ' Here and there 

 occurs a solitary doleb palm, but candelabra euphorbias and 

 tall bushes of the Calotropis procera are plentiful. The eastern 



