xlviii PREFATORY LETTER. 



beheld the bright bows of colour in the rising spray. 

 Nature herself seems to have rejoiced in her own work- 

 manship ; for she has adorned it with the most gorgeous 

 dress of tropical vegetation. The huge giant of the forest, 

 the baobab — groups of palm-trees with their feathery leaves 

 projected on the sky or on the rising vapour — the silvery 

 mohonono, in form like the cedar of Lebanon — the dark 

 motsouri, in form resembling the cypress, and dotted over 

 with scarlet fruit — many other trees, like the great spread- 

 ing oaks, elms, and chestnuts of England — each in its own 

 w r ay, and all combined together, as if in nature's revelry, 

 helped to decorate the banks of the Zambesi and the Falls 

 of Victoria. 



Before leaving the subject, it deserves remark that the 

 chasm which receives the Zambesi does not seem to have 

 been much changed since its first formation ; and the rock, 

 over which the water tumbles into the chasm, has not been 

 worn down, more than two or three feet, by the attrition 

 of the materials which have been drifted over it. 



On the 20th of November the generous Chief bad adieu 

 to the party and returned with his attendants to Linyanti. 

 Dr Livingstone and his 114 companions then left the Zam- 

 besi, and struck northwards into the hilly country of the 

 Batoka. Their whole journey to Tete — the nearest Por- 

 tuguese town — may be divided into three periods: 1st, 

 Their journey from Kalai till they again touched on the left 

 bank of the Zambesi. 2ndly, Their course along the left 

 bank, till they were enabled to cross the great river. 3rdly, 

 Their journey from the right bank of the river, till they 

 reached Tete, when their perils were over. The first period 

 employed them about six weeks. 



In their way through the Batoka country they saw many 

 rude proofs of the ferocity of the old inhabitants, who were 

 in truth a set of brutal savages. Their subjection and par- 

 tial extermination by Sebituane is considered by Livingstone, 



