380 LAKE SHlkWA. 



the base of Mount Priniiti or Mopeu-peu, on its S. S. W. side. 

 Thence the prospect northwards ended in a sea horizon with 

 two small islands in the distance — a larger one, resembling a 

 hill-top and covered with trees, rose more in the foreground. 

 Ranges of hills appeared on the east; and on the west stood 

 Mount Chikala, which seems to be connected with the great 

 mountain mass called Zomba. 



" The shore, near which they spent two nights, was covered 

 with reeds and papyrus. Wishing to obtain the latitude by the 

 natural horizon, they waded into the water some distance 

 towards what was reported to be a sand-bank, but were so 

 assaulted by leeches, they were fain to retreat; and a woman 

 told them that in enticing them into the water the men only 

 wanted to kill them. The information gathered was that this 

 lake was nothing in size compared to another in the north, from 

 which it is separated by only a tongue of land. The northern 

 end of Shirwa has not been seen, though it has been passed ; 

 the length of the lake may probably be sixty or eighty miles, 

 and about twenty broad. The height above the sea is eighteen 

 hundred feet, and the taste of the water is like a weak solution 

 of Epsom salts. The country around is very beautiful, and 

 clothed with rich vegetation ; and the waves, at the time they were 

 there, breaking and foaming over a rock on the southeastern 

 side, added to the beauty of the picture. Exceedingly lofty moun- 

 tains, perhaps eight thousand feet above the sea-level, stand near 

 the eastern shore. When their lofty steep-sided summits appear, 

 some above, some below the clouds, the scene is grand. This 

 range is called Milanje ; on the west stands Mount Zomba, seven 

 thousand feet in height, and some twenty miles long." 



Their object being rather to gain the confidence of the 

 people by degrees, than to explore, they considered that they 

 had advanced far enough into the country for one trip; and 

 believing that they could secure their end by a repetition of 

 their visit, as they had done on the Shire, they decided to re- 

 turn to the vessel at Dakanamoio island ; but, instead of return- 

 ing by the way they came,- they passed down southwards close 

 by Mount Chiradzuru, among the relatives of Chibisa, and 

 thence down to the Shire. 



When they reached the ship, it seemed important, before 



