How I Found Livingstone Travels, Adventures And Discoveries In Central Africa Including Four Months Residence With Dr. Livingstone By Sir Henry M. Stanley
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The Time Occupied In The Journey From The Eastern To The
Western Extremity Was Exactly One Hour And Thirty Minutes.
As this side represents its greatest length I conclude that the
lake is three miles long by two miles greatest breadth.
The
immediate shores of the lake on all sides, for at least fifty
feet from the water's edge, is one impassable morass nourishing
rank reeds and rushes, where the hippopotamus' ponderous form has
crushed into watery trails the soft composition of the morass
as he passes from the lake on his nocturnal excursions; the
lesser animals; such as the "mbogo" (buffalo), the "punda-terra"
(zebra); the " twiga" (giraffe), the boar, the kudu, the
hyrax or coney and the antelope; come here also to quench
their thirst by night. The surface of the lake swarms with an
astonishing variety of water-fowl; such as black swan, duck,
ibis sacra cranes, pelicans; and soaring above on the look-out
for their prey are fish-eagles and hawks, while the neighbourhood
is resonant with the loud chirps of the guinea-fowls calling for
their young, with the harsh cry of the toucan, the cooing of the
pigeon, and the "to-whit, to-whoo" of the owl. From the long
grass in its vicinity also issue the grating and loud cry of
the florican, woodcock, and grouse.
Being obliged to halt here two days, owing to the desertion of the
Hindi cooper Jako with one of my best carbines, I improved the
opportunity of exploring the northern and southern shores of the
lake.
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