The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-12

Insipfd, Infested With Alligators and
Showing Curious Features.
New York Sun.
Mr.. Ernest Gedge, who has spent con-
siderable time on and around Victoria N.Y.
ANA, has made some very interesting OBJ
servations on the lake, which is the larg-
est lake in Africa Although it has been
visited by number of explorers, it is not
very accurately mapped yet. Mr.. Gedge
says the appearance of the lake suggests
the formation at some remote period of a
vast trough or valley. The shores on the
west side give striking indications of that,
especially in Karagwe. where the cliffs are
perpendicular, with deep water close in
shore. Nothing on the eastern or south
ern shores suggests volcanic action. On
the northern shore are outcrops of lava
blocks.
The main visible sources of the water
supply are from three rivers, which, al
though discharging continually a certain
amount OF water into the lake, are of no
great size except during the rainy season,
and they appear to be totally inadequate
to maintain the equilibrium of the lake.
when 1t is considered that large volume
is carried off constantly by the Nile. and
that the loss through evaporation from so
large an area must be great. 1t is prob
able, therefore, that the lake derives a
great deal of water from springs. The lake
has great depth in places. The water is
fresh and clear although fat and insipid
to the taste. Fish are numerous and are
caught mostly with rod and line. Hippo
potaml are not very numerous, as thew
contlne themselves generally to the coasts
and rivers. Those that are found in the
lake are extremely vicious, and are much
feared by the canoemen along the north
ern shores. who, strange TO say. are unable
to swim. That is. no doubt, due largely to
the fact that the lake is infested with alli-
gators. and it Is dangerous for any one to
enter its waters
Cyclonic storms of great violence occur
at certain seasons and are dangerous to
small craft. The storms occur usually at
dayoreak. They are accompanied by much
thunder and lightning. Following the
coast line for time they sweep across the
lake, raising a tremendous sea. and on sew
eral of Mr.. Gedge's journeys his party was
In great danger of swapping.
One OF the remarkable phenomena he
witnessed was the apparent tide that is OBJ
served at Irregular intervals, the waves
coming In and overlooking the beach in
exactly the same way as the tide on the
seashore, the rise and fall lasting from
half hour TO an hour or more. That has
occurred during comparative calm. while
al other times. although a strong gale was
setting on shore. Gedge did not notice any
difference IN the lakes level He there
fore thinks that the phenomenon is not
attributable entirely to the wind backing
up the water.
Another curious feature is the periodical
rise and fall, which. according to the ma
tlves, takes place every twenty-five wears.
and is indicated by the water marks on the
stones. At the time of his visit the lake
was between eight and nine feet below
high-water mark, and the people said that
certain lands under cultivation then would
be flooded again in due season. and that
the peninsula on which his camp was
pitched would become an island. Similar
changes of level have been noticed in Lake
Tanganyika and Lake Nyassa, and it is
very desirable that continuous observa-
tons should be made in order to define
the real character of the changes.