234 Wanderings in Eastern Africa, 
mile wide. We crossed it diagonally, running into a 
deep bay on the other side, which made the distance 
nearly a mile and a half. Further west it becomes 
much wider, being, perhaps, as much as three miles 
across. It is said to extend a distance of two days 
westward, and to receive its supplies from a river, which 
our Wapokomo called the Tarasaa. This river is said 
by some to flow from the Sabaki, by others to flow 
direct from the far interior. It is possibly identical 
with the Thua, which is crossed by the Mombasian 
caravans midway between the Athi — the interior 
extension of the Sabaki- — and the Kiluluma, or 
Thana, on their way to Ukambani, Kikuyu, etc. More 
probably the lake is connected with the Tana, re- 
ceiving its waters from a higher part of that river, and 
then pouring them back again by the creek through 
which we had reached it. This leaves the Thua to 
be, what it is generally understood to be, a branch 
of the Sabaki. 
Where we crossed the lake it is not deep ; for it could 
always be bottomed by the long spears of the Wapo- 
' komo, its greatest depth being six, or at the very out- 
side, eight feet. But then we only crossed over the 
end of it. Further west it is reported to be very deep. 
Our boatmen said it would cover the palmyra. It is 
the home of innumerable hippopotami and croco- 
diles, and in its waters the elephant also makes its 
huge sport. To a great extent its shores are covered 
with giant grasses ; in other places they are adorned 
with many varieties of the great palm family, among 
which the mkindu (brab) and the palmyra, with its 
clean, bulging, but stately column, and its peerless 
plume of fans, stands conspicuous ; while the sycamore 
