'34 Seven Years in the Soudan.

" But is tliere not another river whicli discharges itself into the lake here ? " " We have heard so, but Ave have never been there."

" Further on, among the amhash, is the water deeper than here ? " " No, shallower ; we clear channels to fish in, and where the water is low we find more fish."

How much water is there ? " In reply to this he showed me up to the knee. Tt was impossible to learn more, and to convince myself of the truth of their assertions I determined to take other information.

Two hours after we reached a village. Here also the inhabitants fled at onr approach, and did not show themselves till they had put their household ntensils and cattle in safet}".

Having done this, little by little they approached, and at last came and leant on the sides of the boat where I Avas. Some presents put them in good humour, and I profited by this to ask for the chief. He appeared an hour later ; he Avas an old man of seventy years. I gave him some toys, a bar of brass, or something of the sort, and then put the same questions to him that T had already made at the preceding village. His replies confirmed what I had heard before. Nothing else remaining for me, I steered oif.

AVith a light breeze astern I passed one after another of the three cascades. At that point rose a mountain not less than 4000 feet high, which I named Mount ]\Iodrog. The surrounding peaks could hardly attain 1500 feet ; they have a scanty vegetation, and their base descends perpendicularly into the lake.

Not finding a refuge for the night, and already hearing the rumbling of the thunder in the distance, I decided to continue our vo-age. Till eight in the evening the Aveather was fine and the Avind favour-