The Sources of the Nile. 55 



tains, these latter are more nearly identical in position with the 

 range formerly described. The question is, however, chiefly 

 one of name, for there is little doubt that the really lofty 

 mountains are grouped near Kilmanjoro, and are not far from 

 the coast ; while the high ground north of Tanganyika, though 

 a water-shed, is by no means important in any other sense. 

 That the existence of a chain separating the basin of the 

 Nyanza from the basin of the Nile is absolutely disproved by 

 Captain Speke, is a result of extreme interest, and also settles 

 points that had been long disputed. It still remains to decide 

 whether, according to Captain Burton, " an elevated mass of 

 granite and sandstone crosses from the shores of the Indian 

 Ocean to the centre of tropical Africa ; ;; for this is of course 

 possible, although it does not, as Captain Burton supposed, 

 exclude Nyanza from the drainage basin of the Nile. 



We now await the last stage in the discovery of the sources 

 of the Nile. It is still possible that, far away towards the 

 centre of the continent, there are waters that run eastwards to 

 supply the great river, but it is certain that so far as the east 

 and south are concerned the limits are determined. Whether 

 Consul Petherick's party, or Madame Tinne and her suite, will 

 be the next to give us information it is not easy to say. Both 

 parties are busily engaged in the same work, and the result, 

 whatever it may be, will be looked for with extreme interest 

 by the civilized world. Meanwhile Captain Speke has worthily 

 and well carried out and completed the task he had so boldly 

 set himself. 



