Chap. XY. RISING OF THE SHIRE. 407 



on the coast. With this examination, rather than with a 

 stay of a few months on the humid, dripping top of misty 

 Morarubala, we should have felt much more satisfied. 



In January, 1864, the natives all confidently asserted 

 that at next full moon the river would have its great and 

 permanent flood. It had several times risen as much as a 

 foot, but fell again as suddenly. It was curious that their 

 observation coincided exactly with ours, that the flood of 

 inundation happens when the sun comes overhead on his 

 way back to the Equator. We mention this more minutely 

 because, from the observation of several years, we believe 

 that in this way the inundation of the Nile is to be ex- 

 plained. On the 19th the Shire suddenly rose several feet, 

 and we started at once ; and stopping only for a short time 

 at Chibisa's to bid adieu to the Ajawa and Makololo, who 

 had been extremely useful to us of late in supplying maize 

 and fresh provisions, we hastened on our way to the ocean. 

 In order to keep a steerage way on the " Pioneer," we had 

 to go quicker than the stream, and unfortunately carried 

 away her rudder in passing suddenly round a bank. The 

 delay required for the repairs prevented our reaching 

 Morambala till the 2nd of February. 



The flood- water ran into a marsh some miles above the 

 mountain, and became as black as ink ; and when it re- 

 turned again to the river emitted so strong an effluvium 

 of sulphuretted hydrogen, that one could not forget for an 

 instant that the air was most offensive. The natives said 

 this stench did not produce disease. We spent one night 

 in it, and suffered no ill effects, though we fully expected 

 an attack of fever. Next morning every particle of white 

 paint on both ships was so deeply blackened, that it could 

 not be cleaned by scrubbing with soap and water. The 

 brass was all turned to a bronze colour, and even the iron 

 and ropes had taken a new tint. This is an additional 

 proof that malaria and offensive effluvia are not always 



