102 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
extent, however, has been greatly exaggerated. Its 
greatest breadth from Dingleber to Lamgue, i.e., from 
east to west, is thirty-five miles, but it decreases greatly 
at each end, and in some parts is not above ten miles 
broad. Its greatest length is forty-nine miles from 
north to south, measured from Bab-Baha to a point a 
trifle to the S.W.^W. of the spot where the Nile, after 
flowing through the lake with an ever perceptible 
current, bends towards Dara in the Allata territory. 
In the dry season, from October to March, the lake 
decreases greatly; but when the rains have swollen the 
rivers, which unite at this place like the spokes of a 
wheel at the nave, the lake rises, and overflows a 
portion of the plain. If the Abyssinians, great liars at 
all times, are to be believed, there are forty-five islands 
in Lake Tzana; but this number may be safely reduced 
to eleven. The largest is named Dek, Daka, or Daga; 
the next in size are Halimoon, on the Gondar side of 
the lake, Briguida, on the Gorgora side, and Galila, 
beyond Briguida. All these islands were formerly used 
as prisons for Abyssinian chieftains, or as retreats by 
such as were dissatisfied at court, or wished to secure 
their valuables in troubled times.” 
And now, having visited Abyssinia with Bruce, let 
us return to the north. 
Some light was now being thrown upon the ancient 
civilisation of Egypt. The archaeological expeditions of 
Pococke, Norden, Niebuhr, Volney, and Savary had 
been published in succession, and the Egyptian Society 
was at work upon the publication of its large and 
magnificent work. The number of travellers increased 
daily, and amongst others W. G. Browne determined to 
visit the land of the Pharaohs. 
From his work much was learned alike of the monu¬ 
ments and ruins which make this country so interesting, 
and of the customs of its inhabitants. The portion of 
the work relating to Darfur was entirely new, no Euro¬ 
peans having previously explored it. Browne attained 
a high place among travellers by his discovery that the 
Bahr-el-Abiad is the true Nile, and because he endea- 
