1873.] ALARMING SYMPTOMS. 297 



16th April. — Went south-west two and a half hours, and 

 crossed the Lombatwa River of 100 yards in width, rush 

 deep, and flowing fast in aquatic vegetation, papyrus, &c, 

 into the Loitikila. In all about three hours south-west. 



17th April. — A tremendous rain after dark burst all our 

 now rotten tents to shreds. Went on at 6 . 35 a.m. for three 

 hours, and I, who was suffering severely all night, had to 

 rest. We got water near the surface by digging in yellow 

 sand. Three hills now appear in the distance. Our course, 

 S.W. three and three-quarter hours to a village on the Kazya 

 Eiver. A Nyassa man declared that his father had brought 

 the heavy rain of the 16th on us. We crossed three 

 sponges. 



18th April. — On leaving the village on the Kazya, we forded 

 it and found it seventy yards broad, waist to breast deep 

 all over. A large weir spanned it, and we went on the lower 

 side of that. Much papyrus and other aquatic plants in it. 

 Fish are returning now with the falling waters, and are 

 guided into the rush-cones set for them. Crossed two large 

 sponges, and I was forced to stop at a village after travel- 

 ling S.W. for two hours : very ill all night, but remembered 

 that the bleeding and most other ailments in this land are 

 forms of fever. Took two scruple doses of quinine, and 

 stopped it quite. 



19th April. — A fine bracing S.E. breeze kept me on the 

 donkey across a broad sponge and over flats of white sandy 

 soil and much cultivation for an hour and a half, when we 

 stopped at a large village on the right bank of ,* and 



men went over to the chief Muanzambamba to ask canoes 

 to cross to-morrow. I am excessively weak, and but for 

 the donkey could not move a hundred yards. It is not all 

 pleasure this exploration. The Lavusi hills are a relief to 



* He leaves room for a name which perhaps in his exhausted state he 

 forgot to ascertain. 



