AREA OF TANGANYIKA. 



139 



miles. At Uvira the breadth narrows to eight miles. 

 Assuming, therefore, the total length at 250, and the 

 main breadth at 20, geographical miles, the circumfer- 

 ence of the Tanganyika would represent, in round 

 numbers, a total of 550 miles ; the superficial area, 

 which seems to vary little, covers about 5,000 square 

 miles ; and the drainage from the beginning of the great 

 Central African depression in Unyamwezi, in E. long. 

 33° 58', numbers from the eastward about 240 miles. 



By B. P. thermometer the altitude of the Tanganyika 

 is 1850 feet above the sea-level, and about 2000 feet below 

 the adjacent plateau of Unyamwezi and the Nyanza, or 

 northern lake. This difference of level, even did not 

 high-hill ranges intervene, would preclude the possibility 

 of that connection between the waters which the Arabs, 

 by a conjecture natural to inexpert geographers, have 

 maintained to the confusion of the learned. The topo- 

 graphical situation of the Tanganyika is thus the centre 

 of a deep synclical depression in the continent, a long 

 narrow trough in the southern spurs of Urundi, which, 

 with its mountain-neighbour Karagwah, situated upon 

 the equator, represents the Inner African portion of 

 the Lunar Mountains. It may be observed that the 

 parallel of the northern extremity of the Tanganyika 

 nearly corresponds with the southern creek of the Ny- 

 anza, and that they are separated by an arc of the 

 meridian of about 343 miles. 



The water of the Tanganyika appears deliciously 

 sweet and pure after the salt and bitter, the putrid and 

 slimy produce of the wells, pits, and pools on the line 

 of march. The people, however, who drink it willingly 

 when afloat, prefer, when on shore, the little springs 

 which bubble from its banks. They complain that it 

 does not satisfy thirst, and contrast it unfavourably 



