168 A SAIL UPON THE ALBERT LAKE. 



larger Dueru — flows principally towards the east side, so that 

 the detritus and sediment which those rivers bring with them 

 in suspension are deposited on the west side of the lake. In 

 the case before us, this process is largely aided by a projecting 

 point behind the island arresting the rain, and facilitating its 

 precipitation. From what I have observed of the lake, I am 

 inclined to believe that the flat shore on the west is gradually 

 encroaching upon its waters ; in other words, the lake is in 

 this part gradually filling up. 



The chief of the whole district of Mahagi is my old acquaint- 

 ance Songa, a trusty and reliable man, who came to pay me a 

 visit late in the evening. On receiving a few small presents, 

 he made many apologies for coming empty-handed ; my arrival 

 had taken him completely by surprise. All Negroes must not 

 be set down as drunken good-for-nothings and beggars. The 

 entire population of the west shore, from Okello's village, Fani- 

 goro, right down to the recently subjugated land of Mboga, 

 acknowledges the supremacy of Kabrega. This prince main- 

 tains relations of close intercourse with the several chiefs of 

 this region by sending them from time to time small presents 

 of Zanzibar cloth, or a few pieces of finer bark cloth, which 

 is imported from Uganda, and is greatly esteemed in this 

 country. In return for these presents the subject chiefs do 

 not, apparently, render any fixed services, but in Kabr^ga's 

 last war against Uganda they gave him great assistance by 

 sending supplies of arrows, lances, and shields. Kabrega has 

 also, on occasion, complied with the request of the Liiri chiefs, 

 and sent some of his men across the lake to aid them in making- 

 raids into Londii, over on the other side of the hills. 



Mahagi is an exceptionally healthy place, and is particularly 

 well adapted for gardening and agriculture. The abundance 

 of water in the neighbourhood would greatly facilitate irriga- 

 tion. For the present I have left only very few people there, 

 but I intend shortly to establish a permanent station. Unfor- 

 tunately, the steep ascent and the impassable nature of the 

 bordering mountain chains make communication with the dis- 

 tricts to the west very difficult, but possibly a more accessible 

 pass may exist farther to the south. 



For two days past, the aneroid had indicated an abnormal 



