Great African Travellers: From Mungo Park to Livingstone and StanleyKingston, William Henry Giles
History
Great African Travellers: From Mungo Park to Livingstone and Stanley
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Africa -- Description and travel; Africa -- Discovery and exploration; Explorers
The next important fact to be observed is that a larger river than any
of them, called the Luapula, runs out of the lake into Lake Moero. Out
of the northern end of the Lake Moero again another large river, the
Lualaba, runs thundering forth through a vast chasm, and then, expanding
into a calm stream of great width, winds its way north and west till it
enters a third large lake, the Kamolondo. The doctor gave it the
additional name of Webb's River. In some places he found it to be three
miles broad. He perseveringly followed it down its course, and found it
again making its exit from Lake Kamolondo, till it was joined by other
large rivers, some coming from the south and others from the east, till
he reached the village of Nyangwe, in latitude 4 degrees south. Here,
having exhausted the means of purchasing fresh provisions, and his
followers refusing to proceed further, he was compelled to bring his
journey northward to a termination. This was not till the year 1871.
He, however, heard of another enormous lake to the northward, into which
the Lualaba empties itself, bounded by a range to the westward called
the Balegga mountains. From the information he received, he believed
that this last-mentioned lake is connected by a series of small lakes,
or by a somewhat sluggish stream, with the Albert Nyanza, the waters of
which undoubtedly flow into the Nile.
Of course it is possible that the waters which flow out of this large
unknown lake, instead of running to the north-east into the Albert
Nyanza, may have a westerly or north-westerly course, in which case,
instead of making their way into the Nile, they may be feeders of the
Congo river.
To the south-west of Lake Kamolondo the doctor discovered another large
lake, to which he gave the name of Lake Lincoln, after the President of
the United States, the liberator of their negro population.
Another large river, the Lomame, flowing from the southward, enters this
lake, and, passing out again at its northern end, joins the Luaba, which
after this takes an almost, northerly course.
These discoveries occupied Dr Livingstone three years. After his
discovery of Lake Moero, while residing with Kazembe, he unfortunately
became acquainted with a half-caste Moor, named Mahommed Ben Sali, who
had been detained as a prisoner by the king. The doctor obtained his
release, and allowed the Arab to accompany him. The villainous old
fellow, in return, did his utmost to ruin Dr Livingstone, by inducing
his attendants to desert him, and even Susi and Chumah for a time were
won over, though they ultimately returned to the doctor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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