of Blantyrc and Zomha Districts oj Africa. 237 



her anchor mto them, then reversing lier engine, and pull- 

 ing the entanglement away bit by bit. Besides P. Stratiotes, 

 it may also consist of Papyrus and various grasses. A 

 change of wind ultimately scatters these barriers. 



The Zambesi. — Especially at Sliupanga and Howri 

 towards the coast, is the right bank of this river well 

 wooded. At the former place the baobab, under which 

 Mrs Livingstone lies, is a good representative of the most 

 strikino^ tree of these forests. It has a circumference of 

 66 feet at 4 feet from the ground. Indeed, the baobab, 

 with its large trunk, thick limbs, great spread of branches, 

 and flat top is the marked feature of the landscape. Here, 

 too, the w^ood for tbe Government canoes is obtained. I 

 have seen some splendid trees cut for this purpose, with a 

 clear diameter of 3 and 4 feet. The plain on either side of 

 the river is covered with bush, in which are a few large trees. 



The Shire River. — The plain is also found along both 

 banks of this river so far as the Murchison Rapids. Belts 

 of large species of Mimoseae are found here and there upon 

 it. The light green aspect of the clean trunk of one 

 species is recognisable miles away. But, indeed, these 

 thorn-trees of the natives, with their spines 4 inches long, 

 half an inch thick at the base, and set in hairs, strike the 

 stranger. Lines of these trees 50 yards wide run at right 

 angles to the river or lake, at intervals of half a mile or 

 more of the grassy plain ; indeed, at Lake Shirwa are 

 often a foot in water. Baobabs are plentiful on Shirwa 

 Island. This is interesting, as the lake, which is simply a 

 huge marsh filled with water in the wet season, which is 

 again evaporated during the African sunshine, is 1800 feet 

 above the sea-level. The baobab never appears to reach 

 a level higher than 2000 feet ; and the traveller round 

 Lake Nyassa may thus take the baobab as an index of his 

 altitude. The tamarind, which also takes the same limits 

 of altitude, is plentiful on the higlier reaches of the Shire. 

 Handsome trees of Euphorhia canclelahrum are also seen on 

 the river, as well as a tree of Ficus Kotschyana (native name 

 3Itimdu), at almost every village, around which the natives 

 sit and hold palavers. The huts of the villages are closely 

 packed, outside of them may be seen women pounding 

 sorghum, men making enclosures by a grass fence, or bask- 



