The river seems to lose itself entirely in
it. A narrow passage, scarcely nine feet wide, joins the north end of
the Victoria Nile near Mrooli; and judging from the Murchison Falls--
which are rapids, not falls--I should say Victoria Lake and Victoria
Nile contribute very little to the true Nile. The branch Piaggia saw
is very doubtful. I could not find it, and the boatmen seem very hazy
as to its existence. As for Gessi's branch north of Albert Lake, I
could not find that either. And, _entre nous_, I believe in neither
of the two branches. The R. G. S. will have my maps of the whole
Nile from Berber to Urmdogani on a large scale, and they will show the
nature of the river. I go home on leave (D.V.) in January for six
months, and then come out again to finish off. You would learn my
address from Cox & Co., Craig's Court. I would be glad to meet you;
for I believe you are not one of those men who bother people, and who
pump you in order that they, by writing, might keep themselves before
the world. If it was not such a deadly climate, you would find much
to interest you in these parts; but it is _very deadly_. An Arab at
Mtesa's[4] knows you very well. He gave the Doctor a letter for you.
His name is either Ahmed bin Hishim or Abdullah bin Habib. I have had,
_entre nous_, a deal of trouble, not yet over, with Mtesa, who, as they
will find out, is a regular native. I cannot write this, but will tell
you.
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