CROSSING THE KALONGOSI. 731 



confluence of the Luena. Northward, on their right hand, as 

 they advanced, was Itawa, the country of Nsarna, now thor- 

 oughly conquered by the Arabs. Before them was the town of 

 Casembe, who had also fallen before the Arab traders. The 

 mountains had been left behind, and the country was level and 

 covered with trees which had been stripped of their bark. 



The Kalongosi was sixty or eighty yards wide and four yards 

 deep. The rains were now fully set in, and the daily experi- 

 ence was becoming one of distressing exposure, while the health 

 of Dr. Livingstone was gradually declining. The ravages of 

 the Arabs in Nsama's and Casembe's countries had made the 

 people of the villages timid and suspicious. Where they were 

 bold enough to remain in their homes, they were distrustful and 

 ungenerous. 



After crossing the Kalongosi they turned southward, a little 

 east of south. As they came nearer Lake Bangweolo there was 

 a manifest alteration in the face of the country. It had been 

 exceedingly unpleasant travelling across the numerous feeders 

 of the great rivers flowing westward ; but it was now becoming 

 one continual plunge in and out of morass and through rivers 

 which were only distinguishable from the surrounding waters 

 by their deeper currents. It was impossible that such exposure 

 should not be attended with very serious results to a man so 

 reduced in health and affected chronically with dysenteric symp- 

 toms. It only astonishes us that he should have endured it so 

 long. The few villages were in terror and closed their gates : 

 the fate of Casembe was too fresh in their minds to admit of 

 their entertaining armed strangers. 



There were many plots of cassava, maize, millet, dura, ground- 

 nuts, voandzeia, in the forest, all surrounded with strong hiffh 

 hedges skilfully built, and manured with wood-ashes. There 

 were also many flowers; marigolds, a white jonquil-looking 

 flower without smell, many orchids, white, yellow and pink 

 Asclepias, with bunches of French white flowers, clematis — 

 Methonica gloriosa, gladiolus, and blue and deep purple poly- 

 galas, grasses with white starry seed-vessels, and spikelets of 

 brownish red and yellow. Besides these there were beautiful 

 blue flowering bulbs, and new flowers of pretty delicate form 

 and but little scent. To this list may be added balsams, com- 



