MWERU  , a large

lake of Eastern Central Africa, traversed by the Luapula or upper Congo . It lies 3000 ft. above the sea; measures about 76 m. in length by some 25 in breadth, and is roughly rectangular, the axis running from S.S.W. to N.N E . It is cut a little south of its centre by 9° S. and through its N.E. corner passes 29° E . At the south end a shallow bay extends to 9° 31' S . East of this, and some miles further north, the Luapula enters from a vast marsh inundated at high water; it leaves the lake at the north-west corner, making a sharp bend to the west before assuming a northerly direction . Besides the Luapula, the principal influent is the Kalungwizi, from the east . Year the south end of the lake lies the island of Kilwa, about 8 m. in length, rising into plateaus 600 ft. above the lake . Here the air is cool and balmy, the soil dry, with short turf and clumps of shady trees, affording every requirement for a sanatorium . Mweru was reached by David Livingstone in 1867, but its western shore was first explored in 1890 by Sir Alfred Sharpe, who two years later effected its circumnavigation . The eastern shores from the Luapula entrance to its exit, together with Kilwa Island, belong to British Central Africa; the western to the Belgian Congo .