380 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
water outflowing from the Tanganika, only two miles 
from the lake, ought never to be so deeply discoloured. 
As we proceeded on, the chief told us to stop, and 
threw a stick into the water, asking us to note how, 
despite the ripple and wind from lakeward, the stick and 
the water-bubbles persisted in struggling against them 
towards the lake. His face was triumphant as he thought 
he had completely proved one part of his statement, that 
water came into the lake. It only remained now, as he 
thought, to prove that water flowed out towards the 
west. 
Wherever there were indentations in the bluffs that 
banked it in, or a dip in the low grass-covered debris 
beneath, a growth of Matete or water-cane and papyrus 
filled up these bits of still water, but mid-channel was 
clear and maintained a breadth of open white water 
ranging from ninety to 450 yards. 
Within an hour we arrived at the extremity of the 
open water, which had gradually been narrowed in 
width, by the increasing abundance of papyrus, from 
250 yards to 40 yards. We ceased rowing, and gently 
glided up to the barrier of papyrus, which had now com- 
pletely closed up the creek from bank to bank, like a 
luxuriant field of tall Indian corn. We sounded at the 
base of these reeds along a breadth of forty yards, and 
obtained from seven to eleven feet of water ! With a 
portable level I attempted to ascertain a current ; the 
level indicated none ! Into a little pool, completely 
sheltered by the broadside of the boat, we threw a chip 
or two, and some sticks. In five minutes the chips had 
moved towards the reeds about a foot ! We then crushed 
our way through about twenty yards of the papyrus, and 
came to impassable mudbanks black as pitch, and seeth- 
ing with animal life. Returning to the boat, I asked 
four men to stand close together, and, mounting their 
shoulders with an oar for support, I endeavoured with a 
glass to obtain a general view. I saw a broad belt some 
250 or 300 yards wide of a papyrus-grown depression, 
lying east and west between gently sloping banks, thinly 
covered with scrubby acacia. Here and there were pools 
