ularly into the dark abyss below, the
snow-white sheet of water contrasting superbly with the dark cliff that
walled the river, while the graceful palms of the tropics, and wild
plantains, perfected the beauty of the scene.

This was the great waterfall of the Nile, and was named the Murchison
Falls, in compliment to the president of the Royal Geographical Society.
To the river itself he gave the name of the Victoria Nile.

Having taken a view of the falls, and remained for some time admiring
them, narrowly escaping being upset by a huge bull hippopotamus, they
returned down the river to Magimgo.

Starting the next morning, both Mr and Mrs Baker suffering from fever,
while all their quinine was exhausted, they found that their oxen had
been bitten by the tsetse-fly, and were in a wretched condition,
unlikely to live. Their guide also deserted them, and the whole of
their carriers went off, leaving them on the Island of Patooam, in the
Victoria River, to which they had been ferried across.

It was now the 8th of April, and within a few days the boats in which
they had hoped to return down the Nile would leave Gondokoro. It was,
therefore, of the greatest importance that they should set out at once,
and take a direct route through the Shooa country.

The natives, not to be tempted even by bribes, positively refused to
carry them. Their own men were also ill, and there was a great scarcity
of provisions. War, indeed, was going on in the country to the east,
Patooam being in the hands of Kamrasi's enemies. It was on this account
that no Unyoro porters could be found.

They might have starved had not an underground granary of seed been
discovered, by the means of Bacheeta, in one of the villages burned down
by the enemy. This, with several varieties of wild plants, enabled them
to support existence.

The last of their oxen, after lingering for some time, lay down to die,
affording the men a supply of beef, and Saati and Bacheeta occasionally
obtained a fowl from one of the neighbouring islands, which they visited
in a canoe.

At length both Mr and Mrs Baker fully believed that their last hour
was come, and he wrote various instructions in his journal, directing
his head man to deliver his maps and observations to the British Consul
at Khartoum.

The object, it appeared, of Kamrasi in thus leaving them, was to obtain
their assistance against his enemies, and at length their guide,
Rehonga, made his appearance