604 DISTRICT OP CHICOVA. Chap. XXIX. 



rock is the grey soft sandstone I have mentioned, but at the 

 rivulet Bangue, we come upon a dyke 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 sandstone above, sandstone-flag, shale, and lastly a 

 thin seam of coal. The section was only shown for a short dis- 

 tance, and then became lost by a fault made by a dyke 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 cannot distinguish between silver and tin. 

 In connexion with these basaltic dykes, 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 exa- 

 mining 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 dykes which we now saw, 

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

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

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

 Our path lay along the bed of the Nake 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 Ins 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 footbath 



