506 PATH TO THE EAST COAST. Chap. XXV. 



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 disposi- 

 tion 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 then country. They 

 described the population there, as located in small villages like 

 the Balonda, and that no difficulty is experienced in travelling 

 amongst 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 tins lake a little to the 

 north-west 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. Tins then appeared to me to be 

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

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

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

 all the country eastwards 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 



