Chap. V. LAKE NYASSA DISCOVEEED. 123 



the spear." The practice of bathing, which our first contact 

 with Chinsunse's people led us to believe was unknown to 

 the natives, we afterwards found to be common in other parts 

 of the Manganja country. 



We discovered Lake Nyassa a little before noon of the 16th 

 September, 1859. Its southern end is in 14° 25' S. Lat., and 

 35° 30' E. Long. At this point the valley is about twelve 

 miles wide. There are hills on both sides of the lake, but 

 the haze from burning grass prevented us at the time from 

 seeing far. A long time after our return from Nyassa, we 

 received a letter from Captain E. B. Oldfield, E.N., then 

 Commanding H.M.S. Lyra, with the information that Dr. 

 Eoscher, an enterprising German who unfortunately lost 

 his life in his zeal for exploration, had also reached the 

 Lake, but on the 19th of November following our discovery ; 

 and on his arrival had been informed by the natives that a 

 party of white men were at the southern extremity. On 

 comparing dates (16th September and 19th November) we 

 were about two months before Dr. Eoscher. Information, to 

 the same effect as Captain Oldfield's, was also published in 

 the Cape Newspapers in a letter to Sir George Grey, the 

 Governor, from Colonel Eigby, H.M. Consul and Political 

 Eesident at Zanzibar, who derived his information from the 

 depositions of Dr. Eoscher's servants, after they had reached 

 the coast. 



It is not known where Dr. Eoscher first saw its waters ; 

 as the exact position of Nusseewa on the borders of the Lake, 

 where he lived some time, is unknown. He was three days 

 north-east of Nusseewa, and on the Arab road back to the usual 

 crossing-place of the Eovuma, when he was murdered. The 

 murderers were seized by one of the Chiefs, sent to Zanzibar, 

 and executed. He is said to have kept his discoveries to 



