404 ON LAKE NYASSA. 



shores. Their first impression of these lake dwellers was that 

 they were downright lazy ; groups could be seen during the day 

 lying fast asleep under the shade of the trees along the shore, 

 apparently taking the world very easily, but a better acquaint- 

 ance with them revealed the fact that these forenoon sleepers 

 had been at work during the greater part of the night. In the 

 afternoon they begin to bestir themselves ; examining and mend- 

 ing their nets, carrying them to the canoes, and coiling in their 

 lines. In the evening they paddle off to the best fishing station, 

 and throughout most of the night the poor fellows are toiling 

 in the water, dragging their nets. 



Though there are many crocodiles in the lake, and some of 

 an extraordinary size, the fishermen say that it is a rare thing 

 for any one to be carried off by these reptiles. When crocodiles 

 can easily obtain abundance of fish — their natural food — they 

 seldom attack men ; but when unable to see to catch their 

 prey, from the muddiness of the water in floods, they are very 

 dangerous. 



In character and general appearance the lake tribes were 

 found to be very much like the tribes among whom they had 

 already travelled. Their scanty clothing was partly of cotton 

 and partly of a sort of cloth woven from bark. The ornamen- 

 tation of their persons was of course a matter of special pride 

 and delight. 



At different points along the shore they found the established 

 slave-crossing places, and only at such places were they at all 

 annoyed. The lake slave-trade was going on at a terrible rate, 

 and the higher they went the more deeply the travellers realized 

 the horrors of a trade which encourages every vice and withers 

 every beauty, and paralyzes every energy of the afflicted land 

 over which it drags its accursed chain. 



Having spent nearly two months on the lake, and feeling 

 amply repaid for their toil in the encouragement they had ex- 

 perienced concerning the future of the great continent, they re- 

 turned to the ship, which they reached on the 8th of November. 

 The bishop came down from Magomero to meet them, and it 

 was a joy indeed to see him in such good spirits. 



On returning to Tete, it was ascertained that the Portuguese 

 government had given such instructions to the slaving parties 



