Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/561

 NYAM-NYAM N'YANZA 547 mills, two banks, several hotels, six schools, including the Eockland female institute, two weekly newspapers, a monthly periodical, and nine churches. NYAM-NYAM, a negro tribe in N. central Af- rica, whose territory extends from lat. 4 to 6 N., and from Ion. 24 to 29 E., and is bounded N. by the country of the Bongos, E. by that of the Mittoos, S. by that of the Monbuttoos, and W. by various tribes whose names are unknown. The first information respecting this tribe was given in 1859 by Petherick, and in 1863 by the Italian Piaggia; but Schwein- furth in 1870 was the first to traverse a large portion of the country. The Nyam-Nyam are cannibals, but in some respects more civilized than the neighboring tribes. They appear to have taken possession of their present country at a comparatively recent period, after con- quering several other tribes. They live in con- ical straw huts, there being separate ones for men and women. The chiefs or sultans, of whom there are about 100, have very extensive powers over their subjects. Every settlement has a divan or bancajo, in which public affairs are discussed and decided, and where the boys are accustomed to stay from their eighth year. The Nyam-Nyam show considerable skill in manufacturing earthen and iron ware, espe- cially in the forging of weapons. N'YANZA, a word used by the natives of cen- tral Africa to designate large bodies of water, but especially applied to the two great equato- rial fresh-water lakes which are now believed to be the proximate sources of the Nile. I. Vic- toria N'yanza, the eastern of these lakes, called also Ukerewe by the natives, is situated direct- ly under the equator, between lat. 2 24' S. and 21' N., at an elevation, according to Speke (1862), of 3,308 ft. above the level of the sea. According to Baker, however, its elevation must be considerably higher, as he found its outlet, Somerset river, to flow at M'rooli at an altitude of 4,061 ft. Its western limit is not far from Ion. 31 30' E., but the width of the lake has not been ascertained, al- though it must be considerable, as the opposite side cannot be seen from that portion of the western shore which has been explored. The Victoria N'yanza was discovered on July 30, 1858, by Capt. J. H. Speke of the British In- dian army, who visited its southern extremity, in about Ion. 33 E., while upon the expedition with Oapt. Richard F. Burton which resulted in the discovery of Lake Tanganyika, although he was not accompanied by his associate on this part of the journey. Convinced that he had found one of the great feeders of the Nile, Capt. Speke, on returning to England in the following year, organized an expedition for its further exploration, and in 1862 again reached the vicinity of its shores, from Zanzi- bar, this time in company with Capt. (now Col.) J. W. Grant. They travelled along its western and northern margin, though seldom within view of its waters, to the outlet of the lake, in about lat. 21' 19" N., Ion. 33 30' E. This is a magnificent river from 600 to 700 yards wide, flowing northward over a beautiful cataract, having a descent of about 12 ft., to which they gave the name of Eipon falls. This stream, now known as the Somer- set river, Speke believed to be the White Nile ; and his conjecture, founded upon native infor- mation, that it flowed into another lake further W., whence it emerged as the Nile itself, has since been verified by the discovery of the Al- bert N'yanza. Our actual knowledge concern- ing the Victoria lake is thus confined to the S. extremity and its N. W. shores. As seen from the south in 1858, it resembled a vast flood overspreading a flat surface ; and though said by the natives to be very deep, its appearance did not confirm the statement. According to Speke, if any part of the adjacent country, which is low, well wooded, and dotted with hills, were inundated to the same extent, it would wear the same aspect. The water was of a dirty white color, but good and sweet. A small river flows into the S. end of the lake near a group of islets, N. of which are two islands of considerable size. Information de- rived from the Arabs represents the E. shore as studded with islands ; but according to na- tive accounts no rivers of any importance find their way into the lake on that side, the coun- try which stretches eastward toward the moun- tain range of Kenia and Kilimanjaro being scantily watered and containing many salt lakes and salt plains. The region S. of the Victoria N'yanza is occupied by the numerous petty states which constitute the extensive territory known as Unyamuezi. The principal feeder of the lake from the west is the Kitangule river, which enters it near the 1st parallel of S. lati- tude. This river is believed to rise near Mt. M'fumbiro, a cone-like summit about 100 m. W. of the lake, the altitude of which is esti- mated by Speke at 10,000 ft. The W. shore is in the kingdom of Karagu6, and the N. W. and N. borders are included within the Ugan- da country. The surface of this moist, tem- perate, wooded, well cultivated, and populous region slopes toward the lake, near which the lands generally are low, grassy, and intersect- ed by numerous rush drains. Further back, the scenery is more hilly, and the country is penetrated by several mountain spurs from the west, of moderate elevation. The Victoria Nile, or Somerset river, as Speke called the outlet of the Victoria N'yanza, flows from Ri- pon falls northward and westward. It has actually been traced by Speke somewhat fur- ther down than lat. 1 N., and its course below M'rooli, the capital of Uuyoro, in lat. 1 38' N., Ion. 32 20' E., has become tolerably well known through the later explorations of Baker. At Karuma falls, near lat. 2 15' N., Ion. 32 26' E., where there is a descent of about 5 ft., the river bends suddenly westward and flows- thence in that direction, between cliffs and over a succession of rapids, to Murchison falls.