1868.] THE MARCH TOWARDS THE NEW LAKH. 313 



speaking nice means adopting a childish treble tone of voice 

 and words exactly similar to those of the little Scotch girl 

 who, passing through a meadow, was approached by a cow, 

 probably from curiosity. To appease this enemy, she said, 

 " Oh, coo, coo, if you no hurt me, I no hurt you." I told 

 them to come on and leave them quietly, but they remained 

 babbling with them. The guide said that there was no 

 water in front: this I have been told too often ever to 

 believe, so I went on through the forest, and in an hour 

 and a half came to a sponge where, being joined by my 

 attendants, we passed the night. 



lQth July. — Crossing this sponge, and passing through 

 flat forest, we came to another named Meshwe, when 

 there, as a contrast, the young men volunteered to carry 

 me across; but I had got off my shoes, and was in 

 the water, and they came along with me, showing the 

 shallower parts. We finished the day's march by crossing 

 the Molongosi spongy ooze, with 150 paces of deep water, 

 flowing N.E. The water in these oozes or sponges felt 

 very cold, though only 60° in the mornings, and 65° at 

 midday. The Molongosi people invited us into the village ; 

 but the forest, unless when infested with leopards and lions, 

 is always preferable, for one is free from vermin, and free 

 from curiosity gazers, who in the village think they have 

 a right to stare, but in the forest feel that they are not on 

 an equality with strangers. 



[It was on the 18th of July, 1868, we see that Dr. Living- 

 stone discovered one of the largest of the Central African 

 Lakes. It is extraordinary to notice the total absence of 

 all pride and enthusiasm, as — almost parenthetically — he 

 records the fact.] 



17th and l&th July. — Eeached the chief village of 

 Mapuni, near the north bank of Bangweolo. On the 18th 



