CHAP. XVII.] 
GEBEL KOOKOO. 
461 
river was the limit of navigation from the Albert Lake. 
As far as the eye could reach to the south-west, the 
country was dead flat and marshy throughout the 
course of the river; this appearance proving the cor¬ 
rectness of the information I had received from the 
natives of Unyoro, and from Kamrasi himself, that the 
Nile was navigable for some days' journey from the 
Albert Lake. Precisely the same information had 
been given to Speke, and the river level at this point 
showed by his thermometer so great a difference be¬ 
tween that of Karuma, that he had concluded the fall 
of 1,000 feet must exist between the foot of Karuma 
Falls and the Albert Lake ;—this, as already described, 
I proved to be 1,275 feet. 
It would be impossible to describe the calm enjoy¬ 
ment of the scene from this elevated pass, from which 
we confirmed the results of our own labours and of 
Speke's well-reflected suggestions. We were now on 
the track by which he and Grant had returned ; but I 
believe they had rounded the foot of the hill that we 
had ascended ;—the two routes led to the same point, 
as our course brought us at right angles with the Nile 
that flowed beneath us. Descending the pass through 
a thorny jungle, we arrived at the river, and turning 
suddenly to the north, we followed its course for about 
a mile, and then bivouacked for the evening. The Nile 
having entered the valley between Gebel Kookoo and 
the western range, was no longer the calm river that 
we had seen to the south : numerous rocky islands 
blocked its course, and mud-banks covered with 
papyrus rush so obstructed the stream that the river 
widened to about a mile,—this width was composed 
of numerous channels, varying in breadth between the 
obstructing rock and island. Upon one of the rush- 
covered islands a herd of elephants was discovered, 
almost concealed by the height of the vegetation. 
As they approached the edge of the water and became 
exposed, I tried about twenty shots at them with the 
Fletcher rifle, sighted to 600 yards, but in no instance 
