98 GREAT HEAT AND DROUGHT. Chap. IV. 



suffered daily from its effects, and it was only just before 

 the end of our trip that this pernicious mode of boiling 

 it was discovered by us. 



In ascending 3000 feet from the lowlands to the high- 

 lands, or on reaching the low valley of the Shire from the 

 higher grounds, the change of climate was very marked. 

 The heat was oppressive below, the thermometer standing 

 at from 84° to 103° in the shade ; and our spirits were as 

 dull and languid as they had been exhilarated on the 

 heights in a temperature cooler by some 20°. The water 

 of the river was sometimes 84° or higher, whilst that we 

 had been drinking in the hill streams was only 65°. 



It was found necessary to send two of our number 

 across from the Shire to Tette ; and Dr. Kirk, with guides 

 from Chibisa, and accompanied by Mr. Eae, the engineer, 

 accomplished the journey. We had found the country to 

 the north and east so very well watered, that no difficulty 

 was anticipated in this respect in a march of less than a 

 hundred miles; but on this occasion our friends suffered 

 severely. The little water to be had at this time of the 

 year, by digging in the beds of dry watercourses, was so 

 brackish as to increase thirst — some of the natives indeed 

 were making salt from it ; and when at long intervals a 

 less brackish supply was found, it was nauseous and 

 muddy from the frequent visits of large game. The tsetse 

 abounded. The country was level, and large tracts of it 

 covered with mopane forest, the leaves of which afford 

 but scanty shade to the baked earth, so that scarcely any 

 grass grows upon it. The sun was so hot, that the men 

 frequently jumped from the path, in the vain hope of 

 cooling, for a moment, their scorched feet under the almost 

 shadeless bushes ; and the native who carried the provision 

 of salt pork got lost, and came into Tette two days after 

 the rest of the party, with nothing but the fibre of the 

 meat left, the fat, melted by the blazing sun, having all 



