424 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
During this month of the year the Lualaba reached 
its lowest level. Our boat, the Lady Alice, after almost 
being re-built, was launched in the river, and with 
sounding-line and sextant on board, my crew and I, 
eager to test the boat on the grey-brown waters of the 
Great River, pushed off at 11 a.m. and rowed for an 
island opposite, 800 yards distant, taking soundings as 
we went. 
The following are the figures, noted down after each 
trial with the lead, beginning thirty yards from shore, 
and ending at the low brush-covered island opposite 
Nyangwe : — 
18 
23 
24 
15 
19 
24 
241 
15 
18 
25 
22 
151 
181 
241 
23 
14 
20 
25 
22 
13 
201 
26 
21 
12 
19 
27 
19 
9 
21 
271 
17 
q1 
y 2 
16 
8 
— the total of which gives a mean of 18 feet 9 inches. 
The easternmost island in mid-river is about 100 
yards across at its widest part, and between it and 
another island is a distance of from 250 to 300 yards. 
From the second island to the low shore opposite 
Nyangwe is about 250 yards, and these channels have a 
slightly swifter flow than the main river. The mean 
depth of the central channel was 12^ feet, the western- 
most 11 feet, and the entire width of clear water flow 
was about 1300 yards. During the months of April, 
May, and June, and the early part of July, the Lualaba 
is full, and overspreads the low lands westwards for 
nearly a mile and a half. The Lualaba then may be 
said to be from 4000 to 5000 yards wide opposite 
Nyangwe. 
The Arabs, wherever they settle throughout Africa, 
endeavour to introduce the seeds of the vegetables and 
fruit-trees which grow in their beloved island of Zanzibar. 
