CHAP. XL CAPTAIN WILSON ON THE SHIRE. '1 - 7 



the " Lady Nyassa " together there, to tow her up to the 

 foot of the Murchison Cataracts. 



A few days before the " Pioneer " reached Shupanga, 

 Captain Wilson, seeing the hopeless state of affairs, gene- 

 rously resolved to hasten with the Mission ladies up to 

 those who, we thought, were anxiously awaiting their 

 arrival, and therefore started in his gig for the Euo, 

 taking Miss Mackenzie, Mrs. Burrup, and his surgeon, Dr. 

 Eamsay. They were accompanied by Dr. Kirk and Mr. 

 Sewell, paymaster of the "Gorgon," in the whale-boat of the 

 "Lady Nyassa." As our slow-paced-launch, "Ma Eobert," 

 had formerly gone up to the foot of the cataracts in nine 

 days' steaming, it was supposed that the boats might easily 

 reach the expected meeting-place at the Euo in a week ; 

 but the Shire was now in flood, and in its most rapid 

 state ; and they were longer in getting up about half the 

 distance, than it was hoped they would be in the whole 

 navigable part of the river. They could hear nothing of 

 the Bishop from the chief of the island, Malo, at the 

 mouth of the Euo. " No white man had ever come to his 

 village," he said. They proceeded on to Chibisa's, 

 suffering terribly from mosquitoes at night. Their toil 

 in stemming the rapid current made them estimate the 

 distance, by the windings, as nearer 300 than 200 miles. 

 The Makololo who had remained at Chibisa's told them 

 the sad news of the death of the good Bishop and of Mr. 

 Burrup. Other information received there awakened 

 fresh anxiety on behalf of the survivors ; so, leaving the 

 ladies with Dr. Eamsay and the Makololo, Captain Wilson 

 and Dr. Kirk went up the hills, in hopes of being able to 

 render assistance, and on the way they met some of the 

 Mission party at Soche's. The excessive fatigue that our 

 friends had undergone in the voyage up to Chibisa's in no 

 wise deterred them from this further attempt for the 

 benefit of their countrymen, but the fresh labour, with 



