VICTORIA NYANZA, ne-iin'vl, or EKE REWE. The largest lake in Africa, and, next to Lake Superior, the largest sheet of fresh water in the world. It lies between British and Her man East Africa, about 400 miles from the In dian Ocean, and 175 miles northeast of Lake Tanganyika, extending from latitude 0° 25' N. to 3° S. (Map: Africa. Il 5). Its length from north to south is over 200 miles, its average breadth 150 miles, and its estimated area about 26,000 square miles. The lake occupies a broad depression, probably clue to a series of faults in the ancient crystalline rocks of the East. African plateau. Its surface lies at an elevation of 3775 feet. The shores, especially on the south and east. are very irregular, with numerous head lands and deep bays, and the lake contains sev eral large and numerous smaller islands with an aggregate area of about 2300 square miles. The largest islands are Ukerewe, in the southeast, and Sesse, in the northwest. The islands are erally densely wooded, and some of them contain a number of villages, while others, even some of considerable size, are uninhabited. The western
shore of the lake is high, steep, and rocky in the south, becoming lower and densely forested north ward. The southern shore is low and lulu shy, while the country bordering the lake on the east is mostly an open steppe region. The water is clear and fresh. There are ;many fish in the lake and it abounds in mollusks. Crocodiles are nu merous, and on the uninhabited islands there are many hippopotamuses. None of the streams entering the lake are of great size. The largest is the Kagera, which may be regarded as the extreme upper course of the Nile, as that river, known here as the Somerset Nile, forms the out let of the lake. The Victoria Nyanza is now navi gated by two steamers, one of which was launched in 1900 and the other in 1896; but the main vol ume of trade is still carried in native boats. The lake was discovered by Speke in 1858. circum navigated by Stanley in 1875, and subsequently explored at various times by him and others, hut only a portion of the coasts has been accurately surveyed,