BACK AT LAKE ALBERT. 139 Magingo, choosing a road to the north of that by which we previously travelled. At Macungo the steamer Nyanza was to await us. A very steep road leads from Kirdto to Khor Varingo, and is rendered the more laborious by the numerous little watercourses which run across it, and the large reed thickets. The strong current of the muddy khor—the same we had previously passed lower down—reached up to our knees. Leaving, to the left, a little village, we passed on through park land to another khor, the bed of which lay at a considerable depth, and its water reached up to our waists. We halted for the night at Kubia, and hastened to erect our huts, for the rain threatened. The rain always seems to travel with us. In Kabréga’s territory, in Uganda, and here -too, we experienced incessant rain, and, to add to our discomfort, this time all my men were ill. Marching in the cool of the morning is very pleasant, but generally involves a cold bath, because the abundant dew on the long grass comes down in showers upon the traveller. Upon this occasion there followed a bath proper as we waded knee-deep across the numerous watercourses.

The gentle descent towards Magungo began here, although it was as yet imperceptible. We passed the night at Kangara, where one of my men fell ill with smallpox, and the next morning we crossed the ridge of hills which runs across the road, and from the summits of which a good view is afforded of isolated mountains lying towards the south-west. A small village called Fejau lay at the base of the hills opposite. We passed it rapidly, in order to prevent the porters from plundering the deserted huts. I was, however, compelled to remain the night at Usonda, not much farther on, as my patients could hold up no longer.

A sharp march of three hours over very hard red clay soil was next accomplished. The condition of the ground proved that the kharif, with its rain, had not yet reached this district, but the blooming Terminalias and Combretas indicated its near approach. A pool in which we had hoped to find some water only contained a little mud. One more ascent and we saw at last the mountains on the western shores of the Albert Lake and its shining waters. From this point the slope of