CHAPTER XIX 
LAKE NO 
There is no real “lake” at Lake No. Despite its high- 
sounding title, Lake No is nothing more than a magnified 
mere, its limits lost amidst indefinite wastes of papyrus- 
sudd, its exiguous open spaces everywhere intercepted by 
island-jungles of tall swamp-plants. We circumnavigated 
its whole expanse, rarely finding a depth exceeding 6 or 
8 feet, and can scarce call to mind a more dismal and less 
interesting region. Even in respect of wild-life, Lake No 
is featureless and uninspiring. 
Geographically, however, its site is important in two 
regards. Firstly, it marks the meeting of two great 
African water-systems—that of Nile, descending from 
Equatoria, with those from the west represented by 
the Bahr-el-Ghazal; and secondly, as being the northern 
gateway of “ The Sudd.” 
Twice we have sojourned at the actual junction— 
Mogrem, the spot is called, signifying “The Meeting 
of the Waters ”•—our vessel moored to one of the marly 
islets that guard the entrance to Lake No. By what 
geological process marl has intruded in this lacustrine 
area—(otherwise all swamp or black “cotton-soil”)—we 
know not. The surrounding region is a universal dead- 
level steppe, but being relieved by scattered mimosa 
woods, shelters a fair variety of big-game. The swamps 
form the headquarters of the saddle-backed lechwi and of 
the situtunga; while the prairies harbour hartebeests, roan, 
tiang, cob, reedbuck, and oribi, all persistently hunted by 
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