82 • ASPECT OF LAKE SHIEWA. Chap. III. 



which seems to be connected with the great mountain-mass 

 called Zoniba. 



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 sandbank, 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 60 or 80 miles, 

 and about 20 broad. The height above the sea is 1800 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 south-eastern 

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

 mountains, perhaps 8000 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, 7000 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 repe- 

 tition of their visit, as they had done on the Shire, they 

 decided to return to the vessel at Dakanamoio island ; but, 

 instead of returning by the way they came, they passed down 

 southwards close by Mount Chiradzuru, among the relatives 



