480 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
north-north-easterly course ever since we had left the 
confluence of the Leopold with the Livingstone, which 
caused serious doubts in my mind for a time as to 
whether my boiling-points might not be in error. It 
certainly caused me to believe that Livingstone’s hypo- 
thesis is correct after all, though the great river itself, 
by its vast magnitude, breadth, and depth, was a decided 
protest against such a proposition. 
At the foot of the Fifth Cataract, which fell at the 
south end of Asarna Island, the altitude of the river was 
about 1630 feet above the ocean — after Kew corrections 
— and we were in about south latitude 0° 23' 0", just 
270 geographical miles south of where the Nile was 
known to have an altitude of 1525 feet above the sea. 
The river, at a stage where I expected to see it at least 
incline to the west, ran due north-north-east. 
Four soundings were obtained during the forenoon of 
the 19th, 33 feet, 40 feet, 47 feet, and 41 feet respec- 
tively, where the left branch flowed at the rate of about 
two knots an hour past Asama. 
The left bank rose from the low swampy level to 
beautiful bluffs, 60, 80, and 100 feet high, garnished 
with a magnificent forest of tall trees, amid which 
were frequently seen the Elais, wild date, and Hypliene 
palms. 
North of Asama the river widened to the stately 
breadth of 2000 yards. On the right were the Wane- 
Mpungu and the Wane-Kipanga tribes, but I was told 
by one of the Asama islanders that they were inland 
people of Uregga. I have been struck with the simi- 
larity of some of these names with those given me by 
Rumanika of Karagwe. For instance, one of the native 
names — Mikonju — of the Leopold River. Might not 
the man who gave us the information have intended it 
for a tribe called Wakonju — people of Ukonju — who, 
according to Rumanika, were cannibals, and occupied a 
country west of Muta-Nzige ? The “ Wane-Mpungu ” 
has a remarkable resemblance to the Mpundu, described 
by the same authority. 
In about south latitude 14' we discovered a small 
