Savage Africa. 
9 
thirteen hundred feet deep. It was thus most conclusively 
established that the Congo was not one of the sources of the 
Nile, but a mighty river, draining the western watershed of 
Central Africa, and having a length of about 4,000 miles. 
The Zambesi rises in Lake Dilolo, and after following 
a course southward and eastward, empties itself into the 
Indian Ocean. It possesses some magnificent falls, known 
by the natives as " the Sounding Smoke," because of the 
five pillars of smoky, misty vapour which these falls send 
up, and which might be seen some ten miles away. On 
nearing the place, Livingstone discovered that the river, 
which was a mile broad, mysteriously disappeared down a 
deep chasm, right across its bed, of about eighty yards in 
width. The depth of the falls at this point is three hun- 
dred and sixty feet : at the bottom a tremendous whirlpool 
is formed ; out of this whirlpool the river finds its way in a 
deep chasm at right angles to the former course, and after 
flowing through deep, narrow, rocky channels for about 
forty miles, it reappears in more level country, as the Lower 
Zambesi. The falls, which are the most wonderful in the 
world, were named by Livingstone the "Victoria Falls." 
They are due, most probably, to some tremendous convul- 
sion of nature in the centre of that continent. 
Of the Lakes we shall have more to say, in connection 
with those intrepid men who have explored them at peril of 
life and liberty. They are surrounded by teeming popula- 
tions, mainly opposed to the presence of white men, sus- 
picious of their intentions, and ever ready to assault, openly 
or secretly, the traveller or explorer. Around Tanganyika 
many hopes and fears have gathered. Many explorers 
have started from Zanzibar to find it, but few have suc- 
ceeded in their quest. Some have been discouraged and 
beaten back by the difficulties of the way, others have died 
