1808.] VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 317 



told us, tliey had stolon their canoe thence. Though we 

 decided to go, we remained awhile to let the sea go down. 

 A hammerhead's nest on one of the trees was fully four feet 

 high. Coarse rushes show the shoals near the islands. 

 Only one shell was seen on the shores. The canoe ships 

 much less water in this surf than our boat did in that of 

 Nyassa. The water is of a deep sea-green colour, probably 

 from the reflection of the fine white sand of the bottom ; we 

 saw no part having the deep dark blue of Nyassa, and con- 

 jecture that the depth is not great ; but I had to leave oiu* 

 line when Amoda absconded. On Kisi we observed a dark 

 square mass, which at first I took to be a low hill : it turned 

 out to be a mass of trees (probably the place of sepulture, 

 for the graveyards are always untouched), and shows 'what 

 a dense forest this land would become were it not for the 

 influence of men. 



We reached Mpabala after dark. It was bitterly cold, 

 from the amount of moisture in the air. I asked a man who 

 came to see what the arrival was, for a hut ; he said, " Do 

 strangers require huts, or ask for them at night ? " he then 

 led us to the public place of meeting, called Nsaka, which 

 is a large shed, with planks around and open spaces be- 

 tween, instead of walls ; here we cooked a little porridge, 

 and ate it, then I lay down on one side, with the canoe-men 

 and my attendants at the fire in the middle, and was soon 

 asleep, and dreamed that I had apartments in Mivart's 

 Hotel. This made me feel much amused next day, for I 

 never dream unless I am ill, or going to be ill ; and of 

 all places in the world, I never thought of Mivart's Hotel 

 in my waking moments ; a freak of the fancy surely, for 

 I was not at all discontented with my fare, or apartment, I 

 was only afraid of getting a stock of vermin from my 

 associates. 



26th July. — I have to stand the stare of a crowd of 

 people at every new place for hours : all usually talk as 



