132 Seven Years in the Soudan.

distance, iincl there are several important villages along its banks. For a part of the year the cascade ceases, because the river dries up, but during the rainy season the deep and turbid waters reach a velocity of three miles an hour. The country is called Kwando, and is subject to Kaba Rega.

A great temjiest came on. In spite of the awning we were drenched to the skin, and just then perceived a large floating island coming swiftly towards us, which hardly loft us sufficient time to escape. Without a rapid manoeuvre we should have found ourselves, all of a sudden, in the midst of a great field of pa2)yrus, with the risk of being crushed or buried between the bushes of the mong island, and those of another island against which it struck.

Not being entirely satisfied with the particulars I had learned from the natives, I had them sent for, and asked, — " Where is there a way by which we could get through these marshes and go farther on ? " " The lake finishes there," replied a native, pointing to the coast about fifteen or twenty miles distant. " Look ! the floating vegetation ends there, and at that point the water is very low ; you would find yourself stranded."

" But is there not the mouth of a river lower down r " " No, no ; there is no river." Afril 19th. — We walked along the peninsula we had observed yesterday ; it is a forest of vegetable flotsam. 1 lost much time seeking a passage and at last found myself on the other shore of the lake. The water is evervAvhere turbid and stagnant, and is more than three feet deep. Its earthy colour is produced by the muddy bottom, stirred up by the waves. From time to time someone climbed up the mast of the ship, but as far as the eye could reach nothing was to be seen, but amhash and grasses. On ' Ainliash — vegetable flotsaiu.