Central Africa, 
days' battle," and lost twenty-eight men killed and wounded. 
At other times, numbers of the people were sick, and caused 
delay, because of their inability to proceed. Nevertheless, 
in spite of all obstacles, Stanley reached the Victoria 
Nyanza, and commenced his voyage in the Lady Alice y 
which boat had been carried to that point in sections, on 
March 8th, 1875. The story of his voyage around the coasts 
of this inland sea is peculiarly interesting. He describes 
the rocky promontories, the bold cliffs, the wooded heights, 
the deep bays, and the fertile plains which skirt the shores 
of the Victoria Lake. In the distance, snowy mountain 
ranges would appear, and sometimes rushing rivers would 
hasten down to swell its blue waters. The lake swarmed 
with hippopotami and alligators ; while around its borders 
were tribes of naked savages, who only longed for the chance 
of getting the travellers into their barbarous hands. Stones 
and spears were flung at them ; threats were yelled out from 
hundreds of savage throats ; famine, storm, and hardship 
dogged their footsteps, but after two months of gallant 
endeavour, Stanley returned to the point from which he had 
started, and proved that the Victoria Nyanza was a vast 
inland lake, and the chief source of the Nile. 
During this tour, Stanley made King M^tesa's acquaintance, 
and soon formed an opinion quite contrary to that of pre- 
ceding explorers. This king's capital is called Rubaga, 
and is situated on the summit of one of the dome-shaped 
hills of Uganda. Four beautiful roads lead up the hill; 
fences line the roads, and winding paths connect each road, 
leading through beautiful gardens and luxuriant fruit trees. 
M'tesa was surrounded by barbarous state, and hundreds of 
noisy instruments heralded his approach. He was dignified 
in manner, and gorgeously dressed, while a certain amount 
of civilization existed at his court and capital. Moreover, 
