4 EXTRACTS FROM DR. KIRk's LETTERS. 



ins forced to the conclusion that Dr. Livino;stone was 

 attacked and killed a little to the west of the north end 

 of Lake Nyassa. 



" The last letter we have from him was written on 

 the 18th May, at the confluence of the Nieude and 

 Rovnma, called Ngomano. From Mikindany (on the 

 coast) to Ngomano is a distance of 150 miles, of which 

 the first 80 are level ground, covered with thick bush 

 and forest ; the remainder is more open and studded 

 with isolated masses of igneous rock, and low ridges of 

 syenite and schist which cross the river bed, and ren- 

 der it impassable to boats. At Ngomano the river is 

 joined from the S. W. by the Nieude. Here Dr. Liv- 

 ingstone crossed the Rovuma, and remained some time 

 with the chief at the confluence. The country to the 

 north had been pillaged by the Mavite, a marauding 

 Zulu tribe, now settled to the west of Nyassa. This 

 added to a general drought rendered provisions scarce. 

 All the camels and many of the buffaloes had by this 

 time died from the bite of the Tsetse fly ; the men 

 were therefore forced to carry the loads, and a con- 

 siderable amount of baggage was left behind. Leaving 

 this place, they followed awesterly course," — (I suppose 

 by Moosa's compass !) — " and after a day's march again 

 saw the Rovuma for the last time. On the third day, 

 having passed several plains and tracks of forest, they 

 ascended the slopes clothed with bamboo jungle. On 

 the seventh day they were at Makarika, a small Waiao 

 village, where they stayed two days. Four days from 

 Makarika they came to Mataka, a powerful Waiao 

 chief, having much cattle, and governing a populous 

 district. On leaving Mataka after a considerable stay 



