FIRST SIGHT OF LAKE RUDOLF 95 



valleys, wliicli appeared to be closing up from every side to 

 form a fitting frame for the dark-blue gleaming surface of the 

 lake stretching away beyond as far as the eye could reach. 



For a long time we gazed in speechless delight, spell-bound 

 by the beauty of the scene before us, whilst our men, ecpially 

 silent, stared into the distance for a few minutes, to break 

 presently into shouts of astonishment at the sight of the glitter- 

 ing expanse of the great lake which melted on the horizon 

 into the blue of the sky. At that moment all our dangers, 

 all our fatigues were forgotten in the joy of finding our 

 exploring expedition crowned with success at last. Full of 

 enthusiasm and gratefully remembering the gracious interest 

 taken in our plans from the first by his Eoyal and Imperial 

 Highness, Prince Eudolf of Austria, Count Teleki named the 

 sheet of water, set like a pearl of great price in the wonderful 

 landscape beneath us. Lake Eudolf. 



Our guide, Lembasso, proved himself very well acquainted 

 with the neighbourhood. The massive volcanic pyramid which 

 had been the first surprise to us was Mount Kulall, and the 

 flat district on the east was Samburuland, whilst a mountain, 

 scarcely to be made out in the distance on the north, was called 

 Longendoti. The part of the lake we could see was the 

 southern end, and a dark mass rising up from it, half 

 hidden by the intervening country, was an island. The partly 

 mountainous and partly flat district west of the lake was 

 Turkana or Elgume. 



The lake seemed to be but a few hours' journey off; but it 

 was now too late to reach it to-day, so we only marched down 

 the slope for another hour, and then pushed on in the continu- 

 ation of the long valley already more than once mentioned, 

 coming unexpectedly upon a spring called Tamis, situated 

 between perpendicular walls of lava, by which spring we 

 camped. 



