ON LAKE ALBERT. 147 in answer to a written request to send me pots containing a few coffee-plants, Mtésa forwarded a bundle of dry branches four to six feet in length. In conversation with the men, the name of Musaba was mentioned as denoting the land to the north-east of Uganda; I had previously heard this name, but I am unable to identify it, unless it be the Masdba to the south-east of Mrili.

After concluding my official duties at Magtingo, where a number of meteorological and hypsometrical observations were made, it was time to think of our departure. A comparison of the compass on land and on the steamer showed a great difference; the reading on the land gave 344° (N. being 360°); that on the steamer was 159 ; so that this difference -must be taken into account in the construction of the map.

A violent thunderstorm delayed our departure, but at 6.43 A.M. the steamer Khedive carried us towards the lake. As a rule, the passage across the lake to Mahagi is made after midnight, as from 9 A.M. strong breezes from the S. and S.S.W. sweep over the lake. Following a nearly westerly direction, we quickly steamed beyond the river proper, which has been very well described by Colonel Mason. At 7.10 AM. we passed the doléb palms which form a landmark here, and then for some time hugged the land to the N.W., on account of the strong wind. We then shaped our course to the 8.S.W., towards the mountains, and then parallel to them. During the first part of our journey, the level tract extending for half a mile to one mile and a half to the foot of the hills is overgrown with grass and some few trees, but farther on it is covered in parts by beautiful woods, and many large villages are seen near to each other. The lake was rather rough, and its water of a dark sea-green colour. We only noticed a few swifts and darters; much floating Pistia was being driven by the wind from the south; the eastern shore was entirely hidden by mist. At 10.55 A.M. we reached our station, Mahagi, which is not situated on the point designated by Colonel Mason Mahagi, but three and a half or four hours farther to the north, and is, properly speaking, misnamed, as Mahagi is really the name of a village to the south. The landing was somewhat difficult, owing to shallow water. When sailing along the