636 report— 1873. 



TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1878. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. On the Best Route to attain a high Northern Latitude, or the Pole itself. 

 By John Rae, M.D., LL.D., F.E.0.8. 



2. Geographical Significance of North Polar Ice. By E. L. Moss, M.D. 



3. Livingstonia. — The Opening up of the East African Lake District. 

 By James Stevenson, F.R.G.S. 



This paper is in continuation of that read in Section F at the Glasgow Meet- 

 ing of the British Association. 



The intention in founding settlements in South-Eastern Africa was the promo- 

 tion of the Christian civilization of the natives, especially by the system of 

 Industrial Missions, tried with success in Southern Africa. 



The new mission settlement was placed in the Nyassa region, which is accessible 

 by the only considerable rivers of Eastern Africa. The immediate results of its 

 establishment were eminently discouraging, for a hostile tariff was issued, and the 

 exclusive right of steam navigation on the rivers Zambesi and Shire was offered to 

 a Portuguese subject, the concession being for thirty years. 



This exclusiveness has gradually passed away. The slave-trade terminated by 

 treaty in 1877, and the Portuguese Legislature passed a tariff by which they limited 

 themselves to transit duties of 3 per cent, to countries situated beyond the conflu- 

 ence of the rivers Zambesi and Shire, and to other countries outside their provinces. 



A steam launch was got ready, and application made to use her for the purposes 

 of the settlement, which has resulted in the opening of the navigation of both 

 rivers. The launch, which will carry from 10 to 20 tons, is now on her way 

 to Quillimane. 



The Shire Junction road past the cataracts of the Shire is also under construc- 

 tion by Mr. Stewart, O.E., of which a section exhibited showed no gradients 

 exceeding 1 in 20. The steamer Ilala takes the traffic on to Livingstonia and the 

 north end of Lake Nyassa. 



To work this trade, the " Livingstonia Central Africa Company, Limited," 

 has recently been formed in Glasgow. 



The tribes of Nyassa are of the Kaffir family of races, their languages being of 

 similar construction, although the tribes vary considerably from each other. 



In the Lower Shire, an industrious but unwarlike people, the Manganja, have as 

 their chiefs some of Livingstone's Makololo followers, who are opposed to slavery. 



The Upper Shire" and the southern part of Lake Nyassa are surrounded by chiefs 

 of the Ajawa race, who are still under Arab influence, but the slave trade is 

 gradually dying out since its prohibition on the coast. 



Towards the middle and north end of the lake, on the west side, the pressure 

 of a race called the Maviti or Mazitu is greatly felt by the inhabitants, who are 

 being gradually absorbed. These Maviti are Zulus who crossed the Zambesi forty 

 years ago. They retain the bull-hide shield and spear, and dress their hair in the 



