ARRIVAL OF COLONEL DE BELLEFONDS 727 



to make a treaty of commerce between him and the Egyptian Government. 

 The rencontre, though not so exciting as my former meeting with the 

 venerable David Livingstone, at Ujiji, in November, 1871, still may be said 

 to be singular and fortunate for all concerned. In Colonel de Bellefonds I 

 met a gentleman extremely well-informed, energetic, and a great traveller. 

 His knowledge of the countries between Uganda and Khartoum was most mi- 

 nute and accurate, from which I conclude that but little of the geography of 

 Central Africa between the cataracts of the Nile and Uganda is now unknown. 

 To that store of valuable geographical acquisitions must now be added my 

 exploration of the Nile sources, which pour into the Nyanza ; and also the 

 new countries I have visited between the Nyanza and the Unyanyembe 

 road. In Colonel de Bellefonds' arrival I also perceived my great good for- 

 tune, for I now had the means to despatch some reports of my geographical 

 discoveries, and the long-delayed letters. The day after to-morrow I intend 

 to return to Usukuma, prosecuting my geographical researches along the 

 western shore of the Victoria Nyanza. After this I propose to march the 

 Expedition to the Katonga valley, and thence, having paid another visit to 

 Mtesa, I trust to march directly west for Lake Albert Nyanza, where I hope 

 to meet with some more of the gallant subordinates of Colonel Gordon, by 

 whom I shall be able, through their assured courtesy, to send several more 

 letters descriptive of discoveries and adventures. 



" I might protract this letter indefinitely by dwelling upon the value of 

 the service rendered to science and the world by Ismael Pasha, but time will 

 not allow me, nor, indeed, is it necessary, as I dare say, by this time, you 

 have had ample proofs of what has been done by Gordon. Sir Samuel Baker, 

 unfortunately, appears to be in bad odour with all I meet. His severity and 

 other acts receive universal condemnation ; but far be it from me to add to 

 the ill report, and so I leave what I have heard untold. Then, briefly, thus 

 much remains to be said. Livingstone, in his report of the Nyanza consist- 

 ing of five lakes, was wrong. Speke, in his statement that the Nyanza was 

 but one lake, was quite correct. But I believe that east of the Nyanza, or 

 rather north-east of its coasts, there are other lakes, though they have no 

 connection whatever with the Nyanza ; nor do I suppose they can be of any 

 great magnitude, or extend south of the equator. If you ask me why, I can 

 only answer that in my opinion the rivers entering the Victorian Sea on the 

 north-eastern shore do not sufficiently drain the vast area of country lying 

 between the Great Lake and the western versant of the East-African moun- 

 tain range. From the volume of the Nyanza feeders on the north-eastern 

 side I cannot think that they extend farther than E. long. 36°, which leaves a 

 large tract of country eastward to be drained by other means than the Nyanza. 

 But this means may very probably be the Jub, which empties its waters into 

 the Indian Ocean. The Sobat cannot possibly approach near the equator j this, 



