DISTRICT OF CHICOVA. 647 



the gray soft sandstone I have mentioned, but at the rivulet Ban- 

 gue we come upon a dike of basalt six yards wide, running north 

 and south. When we cross this, we come upon several others, 

 some of which run more to the eastward. The sandstone is then 

 found to have been disturbed, and at the rivulet called Nake we 

 found it tilted up and exhibiting a section, which was coarse sand- 

 stone above, sandstone-flag, shale, and, lastly, a thin seam of coal. 

 The section was only shown for a short distance, and then became 

 lost by a fault made by a dike of basalt, which ran to the E.N.E. 

 in the direction of Chicova. 



This Chicova is not a kingdom, as has been stated, but a level 

 tract, a part of which is annually overflowed by the Zambesi, and 

 is well adapted for the cultivation of corn. It is said to be below 

 the northern end of the hill Bungwe. I was very much pleased 

 in discovering this small specimen of such a precious mineral as 

 coal. I saw no indication of silver, and, if it ever was worked 

 by the natives, it is remarkable that they have entirely lost the 

 knowledge of it, and can not distinguish between silver and tin. 

 In connection with these basaltic dikes, it may be mentioned 

 that when I reached Tete I was informed of the existence of a 

 small rapid in the river near Chicova ; had I known this pre- 

 viously, I certainly would not have left the river without exam- 

 ining it. It is called Kebrabasa, and is described as a number of 

 rocks which jut out across the stream. I have no doubt but that 

 it is formed by some of the basaltic dikes which we now saw, 

 for they generally ran toward that point. I was partly influenced 

 in leaving the river by a wish to avoid several chiefs in that di- 

 rection, who levy a heavy tribute on those who pass up or down. 

 Our path lay along the bed of the Make for some distance, the 

 banks being covered with impenetrable thickets. The villages 

 are not numerous, but we went from one to the other, and were 

 treated kindly. Here they call themselves Bambiri, though the 

 general name of the whole nation is Banyai. One of our guides 

 was an inveterate talker, always stopping and asking for pay, that 

 he might go on with a merry heart. I thought that he led us in 

 the most difficult paths in order to make us feel his value, for, 

 after passing through one thicket after another, we always came 

 into the bed of the Nake again, and as that was full of coarse 

 sand, and the water only ankle deep, and as hot as a foot-bath 



