382 RUINS OF STONE HOUSES. Chap. XXIX 



with Europeans, except through the Babisa. They told us 

 that this was formerly the residence of the Bazunga, who had 

 fled from it on the approach of a marauding tribe. As I 

 walked about I discovered the remains of a stone church, and 

 a broken bell with the letters I. H. S. and a cross, but no 

 date. 



15th. — In the morning we proceeded to cross the river in 

 the presence of a large concourse of armed natives. Only 

 one canoe was lent to us, though we saw two others tied to 

 the bank. The part we crossed was about a mile from the 

 confluence, and, as it was now flooded, it seemed upwards of 

 half a mile in breadth. We first passed all our goods on to an 

 island in the middle, then the cattle and men. While this 

 was proceeding I amused the natives by showing them my 

 watch, lens, and other things, and so kept them engaged until 

 those only remained who were to enter the canoe with me ; I 

 then thanked them for their kindness, and wished them peace. 

 After all, they may have been influenced only by the intention 

 to be ready, in case I should play them some false trick. 

 The guides came over to bid us adieu, and we sat under a 

 mango-tree fifteen feet in circumference, and had a friendly 

 conversation. I gave them some little presents for themselves, 

 a handkerchief and a few beads, and a cloth of red baize for 

 Mburuma, with which they were highly pleased. We were 

 thankful to part good friends. 



Next morning we passed along the bottom of the range 

 called Mazanzwe, and found the ruins of eight or ten houses 

 rudely built of soft sandstone cemented together with mud. 

 They all faced the river, and were high enough up the flanks 

 of the hill Mazanzwe to command a pleasant view of the 

 broad Zambesi. These establishments had all been built on 

 one plan — the house being placed on one side of a large court, 

 surrounded by a wall. Some of the rafters and beams had 

 fallen in, but were entire, and there were some trees in the 

 middle of the houses as large as a man's body. On a height 

 on the opposite or south bank of the Zambesi we saw the 

 remains of a wall belonging probably to a fort, and the church 

 stood at a central point, formed by the right bank of the 

 Loangwa and the left of the Zambesi. The situation of 

 Zumbo, as the place was called by the Bazunga, was admir- 



