CROSSING THE NILE. 287 broad, which, of course, makes the crossing easier; but there is no village here, and only two boats are available for the passage.

On the northern bank there are isolated crags and tall forests, inhabited by Lango people, and never before visited. There seem to be no other names for the districts along the northern bank except those of villages.

Leaving the men to ship our few cattle and goats, we took our baggage and turned a little farther to the west, where there were said to be five boats. On our way we passed the spot beside the river where Linant’s tent stood when he visited Anfina. The island Mukdna, on which Anfina then dwelt, lies just opposite this place, but is now uninhabited, and a good deal of it has been washed away. Keeping close to the river, which is here very pretty, we reached the ferry of Aueri, and were soon busy sending off the baggage and porters. Of course, only two boats were found here, and the Matongali who had been ordered to help us preferred drinking mwénge in his village, and left us to work alone. ‘The river is not broad at this place; to our right a ledge of rock projected across it, over which the water foamed, and to our left, about five minutes off, were some rapids—none of them, however, at all dangerous. While the men were engaged in shipping the cattle, a Negro killed a fine viper, but it was, unfortunately, spoiled for preserving. We crossed in seven minutes, for our oarsmen were really good and the boat was light; we went almost straight across, though the current was very strong.

The following aneroid readings for the relative heights are of interest :—Night-quarters at Mutua (eighty feet above the river), 26.38 in.; Aueri (seven feet above the river), 26.56 in. ;~ level of river Gn the boat), 26.75 in. The steep northern bank is richly wooded, and Lango zeribas are very numerous. We found our men waiting in the little village Mukomére, which is inhabited by Shifalu, and then we continued our journey in a north-easterly direction, intending to reach the Fatiko road at Ras-el-Fil. The country was very well péopled, to judge from the extensive fields, but the few huts that we saw had been deserted by their occupants; all the trees were hung with cylindrical hives of bark.

Towards noon we reached a rather extensive group of zeribas,