DESICCATION OF EAST AFRICA 
101 
It is evident that east of the Lorian and Essery line there 
has been a sinking of ground at some not very ancient times. 
The fact remains that in times of rain the waters from Essery 
and the Lorian go much farther than in the dry season* 
In a few places which have not sunk, the water reaches 
the surface. North of the Sayer-Essery line is an absolutely 
waterless district, with the exception of the Mathews range, 
which is practically waterless, and a few mountains, all of 
which are volcanic, such as Marsabit and Kulal, where a little 
water is still found in pockets and small springs north of the 
Kulal-Marsabit line. 
There is no water right up to the foot of the Abyssinian 
Hills. 
Try back now to the district south of Lake Rudolf. 
This also has sunk, and the Toron river runs through miles 
and miles of salt beds which were originally a lake area. 
The marks of the volcanic action on the hills each side 
of this river are really remarkable, and more like pictures 
of Dante’s Inferno than I conceived imaginable. 
This is Turkana land, and it is one of the most difficult 
countries to traverse if you do not stick to the Kerio and 
Turkwell rivers. The country west of Lake Rudolf, which has 
dried up earlier, is even more difficult. 
In this latter country, the country falls in a series of steps, 
and the subsided water-courses are even worse defined than 
they are east of Lake Rudolf. Beginning at Mount Elgon, the 
water rising in this extinct volcano does not run north. 
The last example of volcanic activity north of lat. 4° is the 
extinct volcano of Kisgangor, west of the Boma Plateau on 
the Kuron river. 
There is a stretch of country as far as Marangule which, 
being only a partial subsidence, is higher than the rest, and 
has formed itself into the watershed between Rudolf and the 
Nile. There are here a few — a very few — streams where water 
may be obtained by digging, but even at such places the 
natives — for instance, those at Mamimani and Tiwe — will show 
you stretches of country several days in extent where they 
used formerly to graze and herd their flocks and herds. This 
is now dried up. 
