170 A SAIL UPON THE ALBERT LAKE. 



in the heaving waves than did the majority of my people on 

 them. In such places, the light green waters of the lake, 

 owing to the refraction of the sunlight on the glittering 

 silvery scales of the fish, assumed an almost bluish-green hue. 

 The fish were, indeed, so numerous that in less than a quarter 

 of an hour we counted six shoals, doubtless divisions all belong- 

 ing to one mighty host. On our left we saw the mountain 

 chain of the eastern shore enveloped in mist. Due east we 

 observed some flat strips of sand, sparsely overgrown with 

 reeds, but whether they belonged to an island or to the main- 

 land we were unable to determine in the mist. At length we 

 approached so close to the shore that we got within sight of a 

 long row of hills lying before the mountain range, and presently, 

 also, we saw the foreshore here and there between them and 

 the lake. The lake-side appeared to be bare, green patches, 

 most likely of rushes and reeds, occurring but seldom. The 

 land had a desolate and inhospitable appearance, and seemed 

 to be totally uninhabited. Pursuing a course nearly parallel 

 to the shore, we came, shortly before noon, so close in to it 

 that we could easily distinguish the features of the hillsides. 



These hills are high, and green at the foot. Their more 

 elevated parts support a sparse vegetation, but arboreal flora 

 ceases almost entirely, which is perhaps attributable to denu- 

 dation of the superficial humus by water. In spots, however, 

 where foldings and corners allow an accumulation of humus to 

 take place, and where the moisture can be retained, there exists 

 a richer vegetation, and often even patches of forest. The 

 summits of the hills are mostly either rounded domes or broad 

 flat ridges. Sharp pinnacles are nowhere visible. A super- 

 ficial examination of the northern portion of the chain shows 

 plainly that the entire region at the foot of the hills right 

 away to Magungo has been formed by the lake and the rivers. 

 The low ground between the hills and the lake extends north- 

 wards in the form of a triangle, and consists entirely of allu- 

 vial matter. The range runs due north, and is connected 

 immediately with the isolated hills of Kiroto and Masindi, 

 which I consider to be the remains of a former chain that has 

 been broken down by atmospheric agency. 



As for the lake, I attribute its origin solely to erosion. I 



