420 THE RIVER AND ISLANDS. Chap. XXXII- 



and is said to end in Gorongozo, a mountain west of the same 

 point. We passed through the gorge in two hours, and found 

 it rather tortuous, between 200 and 300 yards wide, and ex- 

 cessively deep ; a steamer could apparently pass through it 

 at. full speed. At the eastern entrance of Lupata stand two 

 conical hills, composed of porphyry, having large square 

 crystals therein ; they are called Moenda en Goma, which 

 means a footprint of a wild beast. Another conical hill on 

 the opposite bank is named Kasisi (priest), from having a bald 

 top. We descended swiftly with the current, and jbund the 

 river spreading out to more than two miles in breadth and 

 full of islands, the breadth of water between the islands being 

 quite sufficient for a sailing-vessel to tack and work her sails 

 in. The Portuguese state that there is high water during five 

 months of the year, and that during the season of low water 

 there is always a channel of deep water, which is, however, 

 very tortuous and shifting. The right bank below Lupata is 

 low and flat : on the north the ranges of hills and dark lines 

 below them are seen, but the shore itself is invisible from the 

 boat, and I could only guess the breadth of the river to be two 

 miles. Next day we landed at Shiramba, once the residence 

 of a Portuguese brigadier, who spent large sums of money in 

 embellishing his house and gardens : these we found in entire 

 ruin, having been destroyed by his half-caste son, who had 

 rebelled against the Portuguese. The southern shore has been 

 ravaged by the Caffres, here named Landeens, and the inhabit- 

 ants generally acknowledge the authority of Bonga, and not 

 of the Portuguese. While we were breakfasting the people 

 of Shiramba commenced beating the drum of war, upon which 

 Lieutenant Miranda immediately got all the soldiers of our 

 party under arms, and demanded of the natives why the drum 

 was beaten. The} 7 gave an evasive reply ; and as they employ 

 this means of collecting their neighbours when they intend 

 to rob canoes, our watchfulness may have prevented further 

 proceedings. 



We spent the night of the 26th on the island called Nkuesi, 

 opposite a remarkable saddle-shaped mountain, and just on 

 the 17th parallel of latitude. The sail down the river was 

 very pleasant from the low state of the temperature ; but the 

 shores beii^g flat and distant, the scenery was uninteresting. 



