ATTEMPTS AT FURTHER EXPLORATION. ' 9 1 



while as regards the Commissariat, I caar only say that I 

 wish it had a dep6t in many of the wilder parts of India, 

 and that I were entitled to draw rations as in Abyssinia. 

 I have often fared far worse in India, with all the re- 

 sources of the country at my command. It is not sur- 

 prising that all the troops at Magdala> who had for two 

 months been working hard, and for at least a month 

 been faring hard also, were delighted at the prospect of 

 leaving the country. 



I, on the other hand, was disgusted at being unable 

 to advance farther into Abyssinia. Above all, I had 

 hoped to have thoroughly explored the great lake of 

 Dembea or Tsana, which has never been accurately 

 mapped. I believe that there .are few geological prob- 

 lems more interesting than those connected with the 

 origin of lake basins, and those of Africa, the only great 

 lakes in the tropics, are of peculiar importance. But Sir 

 Eobert Napier would not listen to any proposals of ex- 

 ploration. He even refused permission to Mr. Munzinger 

 to go into the country of the Asubo Gallas, although 

 one of the principal chiefs had guaranteed his safety, 

 and although Mr. Munzinger's long experience and great 

 knowledge of the Abyssinian people would have alone 

 been almost sufficient to secure him from injury. A 

 few days after leaving Magdala, in order to leave no 

 means untried, I applied to be allowed, with a small 

 party, to go to Lake Tsana, and thence march to the 

 south-west towards Gondokoro, endeavouring to explore 

 the Sobat river, but without any success. Sir Eobert 

 was determined to have every European over whom he 



