CHAP. I. ARRIVAL AT THE ZAMBESI. 9 



inches, went in without a boat sounding ahead. A small 

 steam launch having "been brought out from England in 

 three sections on the deck of the " Pearl " was hoisted out 

 and screwed together at the anchorage, and with her aid 

 the exploration was commenced. She was called the " Ma 

 Eobert," after Mrs. Livingstone, to whom the natives, 

 according to their custom, gave the name Ma (mother) of 

 her eldest son. The harbour is deep, but shut in by man- 

 grove swamps ; and though the water a few miles up is 

 fresh, it is only a tidal river ; for, after ascending some 

 seventy miles, it was found to end in marshes blocked 

 up with reeds and succulent aquatic plants. As the 

 Luawe had been called " West Luabo," it was supposed to 

 be a branch of the Zambesi, the main stream of which is 

 called " Luabo," or " East Luabo." The " Ma Eobert " 

 and " Pearl " then went to what proved to be a real mouth 

 of the river we sought. 



The Zambesi pours its waters into the ocean by four 

 mouths, namely, the Milambe, which is the most westerly, 

 the Kongone, the Luabo, and the Timbwe (or Muselo). 

 When the river is in flood, a natural canal running parallel 

 with the coast, and winding very much among the swamps, 

 forms a secret way for conveying slaves from Quillimane 

 to the bays Massangano and Nameara, or to the Zambesi 

 itself. The Kwakwa, or river of Quillimane, some sixty 

 miles distant from the mouth of the Zambesi, has long 

 been represented as the principal entrance to the Zambesi, 

 in order, as the Portuguese now maintain, that the English 

 cruisers might be induced to watch the false mouth, while 

 slaves were quietly shipped from the true one ; and, strange 

 to say, this error has lately been propagated by a map 

 issued by the colonial minister of Portugal. 



After the examination of three branches by the able 

 and energetic surveyor, Francis Skead, E.N., the Kongone 

 was found to be the best entrance. The immense amount 



