N'GA'MI, LAKE. The existence of lakes in the interior of Africa was vaguely known as far back as the days of Herodotus; and time earliest modern maps show at least half a dozen large and small, one of which is about the size, and very nearly in the position of that shallow reservoir of surface drainage which was discovered, or at least first visited, by a European in 1849,when Dr. Livingstone and Mr. Oswell,who were aware of its exist ence from native report. reached its shores by a circuitous route from the Cape Colony. „Although since ascertained to be of little importance in the physical geography of these regions. lake N'gami was at first supposed to be in some way connected with the larger inland seas of Nyassa, Victoria Nyanza, and Tanganyika. It is situated between the 20th and 21st parallels of s. lat., and between the meridians 22° 10' and 23' 30' e. long., at a height of about 2-,500 ft. above the level of the sea, and is connected by a series of sluggish anastomosing streams with the river-system of the Zambezi; its extent as well as depth varies with the fall of rain in the country to the n. of it, but its average size may betaken at 70 m. long, by a breadth of 20 and a depth varying from 3 to 28 feet. In 1853 lake
N'gami was reached from the w. coast near Walfish bay by the traveler Andersson, and there is now a well-beaten route for traders between these two places, and a considerable quantity of ivory and ostrich feathers are annually collected in the neighborhood of the lake. principal characteristics of the region are rivers, with very sluggish current, and often flowing in different directions to and from the lake, large salt pans and exten sive dry flats, covered with dense bush, the haunt of elephants and other large animals. The water of N'gami is generally fres4but ku the dry season becomes brackish. The e.
end is much deeper than tire western, and it has been inferred that during the last c. the shape and size of the lake have undergone material alterations. The chief tributary, the Tonke or Tioge, coming; from the n.w., is deep, and in June, July, and August brings down vast volumes of water. The Snot or Conga is the main outlet, runs towards the s.e., and finally disappears in a large salt-marsh.