28 
The waters of Lake' Wellington are fresh, those of 
Maclennan’s Straits brackish in the upper part, and salt 
near Lake Victoria. In ordinary seasons the tide makes 
into Lake Victoria as far as the straits. 
Though the waters of Lake Victoria are salt, we ob¬ 
served that they were discolored. 
Our course, for a distance of eighteen miles, from 
Maclennan’s Straits to McMillan’s Straits, which separate 
Raymond Island from the main land, was nearly in a 
straight line. The low shores of Lake Victoria, and the 
great extent of smooth muddy water would have been 
well relieved by the mountain masses on the north and 
north-east, if the day had been clear; but the smoke of 
bush-fires and the thin vapours that overhung the horizon, 
almost entirely concealed these remarkable features. We 
caught glimpses, now and then, of lofty pale grey peaks 
whose names we could make out from the descriptions of 
our companions and by reference to the maps; but the 
exquisite views which are obtained from the lake in clear 
weather were hidden from us. 
In passing through McMillan’s Straits, we saw on 
Raymond Island a patch of land, some twelve or fourteen 
feet above the general level, with a sparse covering of 
crooked and weather-beaten white-gums. The straits are 
bordered with stunted timber ; the shores are scrubby 
and low, and the aspect is uninteresting. 
On leaving McMillan’s Straits, we directed our course 
towards the entrance of the lakes, but when we were 
informed that an inspection of the works at the entrance 
would cause us to lose a day, and that on this day we 
would find no one to show us the works in progress, w r e 
reluctantly returned on our path and made for the mouth 
of the Mitchell. The distance from the eastern end of 
v 
