334 
I FACOVIA-SALT-PITS: 
[chap. xir. 
combined with the salt. The flat sandy meadow that 
extends from the lake for about a mile to the foot of 
the precipitous cliffs of 1,500 feet, appears to have 
formed at one period the bottom of the lake—in fact, 
the flat land of Yacovia looks like a bay, as the moun¬ 
tain cliffs about five miles south and north descend 
abruptly to the water, and the flat is the bottom of a 
horseshoe formed by the cliffs. Were the level of the 
lake fifteen feet higher, this flat would be flooded to 
the base of the hills. 
I procured a couple of kids from the chief of the 
village for some blue beads, and having received an 
ox as a present from the headman of Parkani in return 
for a number of beads and bracelets, I gave my men a 
grand feast in honour of the discovery; I made them 
an address, explaining to them how much trouble we 
should have been saved had my whole party behaved 
well from the first commencement and trusted to my 
guidance, as we should have arrived here twelve 
months ago | at the same time I told them, that it 
was a greater honour to have achieved the task with 
so small a force as thirteen men, and that as the lake 
was thus happily reached, and Mrs. Baker was restored 
to health after so terrible a danger, I should forgive 
them past offences and wipe out all that had been 
noted against them in my journal. This delighted 
my people, who ejaculated “Elhamd el Illah!” (thank 
God!) and fell to immediately at their beef. 
At sunrise on the following morning I took the 
compass, and accompanied by the chief of the village, 
my guide Rabonga, and the woman Bacheeta, I went 
to the borders of the lake to survey the country. It 
was beautifully clear, and with a powerful telescope 
I could distinguish two large waterfalls that cleft the 
sides of the mountains on the opposite shore. Although 
the outline of the mountains was distinct upon the 
bright blue sky, and the dark shades upon their sides 
denoted deep gorges, I could not distinguish other 
features than the two great falls, which looked like 
