Chap. XX. CAPTAIN WILSON UP THE SHIRE. 409 



whole navigable part of the river. They could hear nothing 

 of the Bishop from the Chief of the island, Malo, at the mouth 

 of the Euo. " No white man had ever come to his village," 

 he said. They proceeded on to Chibisa's, suffering terribly 

 from mosquitoes at night. Their toil in stemming the rapid 

 current made them estimate the distance, by the windings, as 

 nearer 300 than 200 miles. The Makololo who had remained 

 at Chibisa's told them the sad news of the death of the good 

 Bishop and of Mr. Burrup. Other information received there 

 awakened fresh anxiety on behalf of the survivors ; so, leaving 

 the ladies with Dr. Ramsay and the Makololo, Captain Wilson 

 and Dr. Kirk went up the hills, in hopes of being able to 

 render assistance, and on the way they met some of the Mis- 

 sion party at Soche's. The excessive fatigue that our friends 

 had undergone in the voyage up to Chibisa's in no wise 

 deterred them from this further attempt for the benefit of 

 their countrymen, but the fresh labour, with diminished 

 rations, was too much for their strength. They were reduced 

 to a diet of native beans and an occasional fowl. Both 

 became very ill of fever, Captain Wilson so dangerously that 

 his fellow-sufferer lost all hopes of his recovery. His strong 

 able-bodied cockswain did good service in cheerfully carrying 

 his much-loved Commander, and they managed to return 

 to the boat, and brought the two bereaved and sorrow- 

 stricken ladies back to the Pioneer. 



We learnt that the Bishop, wishing to find a shorter route 

 down to the Shire, had sent two men to explore the country 

 between Magomero and the junction of the Buo ; and in De- 

 cember Messrs. Proctor and Scudamore, with a number of 

 Manganja carriers, left Magomero for the same purpose. They 

 were to go close to Mount Choro, and then skirt the Elephant 

 Marsh, with Mount Clarendon on their left. Their guides 

 seem to have led them away to the east, instead of south ; 



