PATH TO THE EAST COAST. 545 



be proud of a European visitor or resident in his territory, and 

 there is perfect security for life and property all over the interior 

 country. The great barriers which have kept Africa shut are the 

 unhealthiness of the coast, and the exclusive, illiberal disposition 

 of the border tribes. It has not within the historic period been 

 cut into by deep arms of the sea, and only a small fringe of its 

 population have come into contact with the rest of mankind. 

 Race has much to do in the present circumstances of nations ; 

 yet it is probable that the unhealthy coast-climate has reacted on 

 the people, and aided both in perpetuating their own degradation 

 and preventing those more inland from having intercourse with 

 the rest of the world. It is to be hoped that these obstacles will 

 be overcome by the more rapid means of locomotion possessed in 

 the present age, if a good highway can become available from the 

 coast into the interior. 



Having found it impracticable to open up a carriage-path to 

 the west, it became a question as to which part of the east coast 

 we should direct our steps. The Arabs had come from Zanzibar 

 through a peaceful country. They assured me that the powerful 

 chiefs beyond the Cazembe on the N.E., viz., Moatutu, Moaroro, 

 and Mogogo, chiefs of the tribes Batutu, Baroro, and Bagogo, 

 would have no objection to my passing through their country. 

 They described the population there as located in small villages 

 like the Balonda, and that no difficulty is experienced in travel- 

 ing among them. They mentioned also that, at a distance of ten 

 days beyond Cazembe, their path winds round the end of Lake 

 Tanganyenka. But when they reach this lake, a little to the 

 northwest of its southern extremity, they find no difficulty in 

 obtaining canoes to carry them over. They sleep on islands, for 

 it is said to require three days in crossing, and may thus be forty 

 or fifty miles broad. Here they punt the canoes the whole way, 

 showing that it is shallow. There are many small streams in the 

 path, and three large rivers. This, then, appeared to me to be 

 the safest ; but my present object being a path admitting of water 

 rather than land carriage, this route did not promise so much as 

 that by way of the Zambesi or Leeambye. The Makololo knew 

 all the country eastward as far as the Kafue, from having lived in 

 former times near the confluence of that river with the Zambesi, 

 and they all advised this path in preference to that by the way of 



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