Being very much bothered with the
difficulties of the land route for this distance, I thought I would
establish ports along the river, hoping to find it in steps with
portions which might be navigable, instead of what it was supposed
to be--viz. a continuous rapid. Happily I came on the river at the
commencement of its rise at end of March, and found it navigable as
far as Kerri, which is forty-six miles south of Gondokoro, and about
forty miles north of the point where the Nile is navigable to the lake.
As far south as one can see from Kerri the river looks good, for the
highlands do not approach one another. I have already a station at
Mahade, and one at Kerri, and there remains for me to make another
midway between Kerri and Mahade, to complete my communication with the
lake. I go very slowly, and make my stations as I proceed. I cannot
reconnoitre between Kerri and Mahade, but am obliged, when once I move,
to move for a permanent object. If I reconnoitred, it would cost me
as much time as if I was going to establish myself permanently, and
also would alarm the natives, who hitherto have been quiet enough.
I do not think that there are any properly so-called cataracts between
Kerri and the lake. There may be bad rapids; but as the bed of the
river is so narrow there will be enough water for my boats, and if the
banks are not precipices I count on being able to haul my boats through.
We have hauled them through a gap sixty-five yards wide at Kerri, where
the Nile has a tremendous current.
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