CHAP. XII.] 
EXAMINATION OF THE NILE. 
359 
been forced to neglect from Karuma Falls to the lake. 
I was myself confused at the dead water junction; and, 
although I knew that the natives must be right—as it 
was their own river, and they had no inducement to 
mislead me—I was determined to sacrifice every other 
wish in order to fulfil my promise, and thus to settle 
the Nile question most absolutely. That the Nile flowed 
out of the lake I had heard, and I had also confirmed 
by actual inspection ; from Magungo I looked upon 
the two countries, Koshi and Madi, through which it 
flowed, and these countries I must actually pass through 
and again meet the Nile before I could reach Gondo- 
koro. Thus the only point necessary to swear to, was 
the river between the lake and the Karuma Falls. 
I had a bad attack of fever that evening, and missed 
my star for the latitude; but on the following morn¬ 
ing before daybreak I obtained a good observation 
of Yega, and determined the latitude of Magungo 
2° 16' due west from Atada or Karuma Falls. This 
was a strong confirmation that the river beneath my feet 
was the Somerset that I had crossed in the same lati¬ 
tude at Atada, where the river was running due west, 
and where the natives had pointed in that direction 
as its course to the lake. Nevertheless, I was deter¬ 
mined to verify it, although by this circuitous route I 
might lose the boats from Gondokoro and become a 
prisoner in Central Africa, ill, and without quinine, for 
another year. I proposed it to my wife, who not only 
voted in her state of abject weakness to complete the 
river to Karuma, but wished, if possible, to return and 
follow the Nile from the lake down to Gondokoro ! 
This latter resolve, based upon the simple principle of 
“ seeing is believing, ;; was a sacrifice most nobly pro¬ 
posed, but simply impossible and unnecessary. 
We saw from our point at Magungo the Koshi and 
Madi countries, and the Nile flowing out of the lake 
through them. We must of necessity pass through 
those countries on our road to Gondokoro direct from 
Karuma via Shooa, and should we not meet the river 
