244 LIVINGSTON. [Dec. 15, 1856. 



high, yet, actually, when tried by the boiling point of water, were not so high 

 as the ridges, and not much higher than the valley. 



The President. — Will you describe the White Mountains ? 



Dr. Livingston. — They lie to the north-east of the Great Falls. They are 

 masses of white rock somewhat like quartz, and one of them is called *' Taba- 

 cheu," which means " white mountain." From the description I got of its 

 glistening whiteness, I imagined that it was snow ; but when I observed the 

 height of the hill, I saw that snow could not lie upon it. 



The President. — The Society will observe that this fact has an important 

 apphcation. 



Dr. Livingston. — I observed to them, " What is that stuff upon the top of 

 the hill ?'' They said it was stone, which was also affirmed to me while I was 

 at Linyanti, and I have obtained pieces of it. Most of the hills have this 

 coping of white quartz-looking rock. Outside the ridges the rocks are composed 

 of mica and mica-slate, and crystalhne gneiss at the bottom. Below we have 

 the coalfield, which commences at Zumbo. Higher up there are very large 

 fossil trees, of which I have brought specimens. 



The President. — The point to which I called your attention with reference 

 to the white rocks, is important, as it may apply to the moimtains towards the 

 eastern coast of Africa, which have been supposed to be covered with snow, and 

 are commonly called the " Mountains of the Moon." It seems that the range 

 of white-capped hills, which Dr. Livingston examined, trended towards those 

 so called mountains, and it may prove that the missionaries, who believe that 

 they saw snowy mountains under the equator, have been deceived by the 

 glittering aspect of the rocks under a tropical sun. I would also ask Dr. Living- 

 ston if he has formed any idea of that great interior lake, which is said to be 

 600 or 700 miles long ; and whether the natives gave him any information 

 respecting it ? 



Dr. Livingston. — When I was on my Avay from Linyanti to Loando, I met 

 with an Arab, who was going to return home towards Zanzibar across the 

 southern end of the lake " Tanganyenko," and who informed me that in the 

 country of the Banyassa (Wun' Yassa?) there is an elevated ridge which trends 

 towards the N.N.E. The lake lies west of it, and in the northern part is 

 called Kalague. They cross the southern end of it, and when crossing they 

 punt the canoe the whole way, and go from one island to another, spending 

 three days in crossing. It seems, from the description I got from him, to be a 

 collection of shallow water, exactly like Lake Ngami, which is not deep either, 

 as I have seen men punting their canoes over it. It seems to be the rem- 

 nant of a large lake, which existed in this part, before the fissure was made to 

 allow the Zambesi to flow out. That part of the country is described by 

 many natives as being exceedingly marshy. The Makoloko went up to the 

 Shuia Lake and found all the country exceedingly marshy, and a large lake 

 seems to be actually in existence, or a large marsh with islands in it. But it 

 can scarcely be so extensive as has been represented, as in that case I nmst 

 have crossed part of it or heard more of it. 



Mr.F.Galton, f.r.g.s. — I should be glad to ask Dr.Livingston,whether,in his 

 route across Africa, he fell in with any members of the Hottentot race. In old 

 maps the northern limit of the Hottentot race is i)laced but a short distance 

 beyond the Orange River ; later information has greatly advanced their boundary, 

 and, in my own travels, I found what appeared to be an important head- 

 quarters of that people, at latitude 18° S. There they were firmly established 

 in the land, and were on intimate terms with their negro neighbours, tlic 

 Ovampo. These Hottentots asserted that their race was equally numerous 

 still farther to the northward of the most distant point I was able to reach, and 

 I have been unable as yet, to obtain any information by which any northern 

 limit to the extension of the Hottentot race can, with certainty, be laid down. 



