194 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



the Leeambye, dragging them almost hourly through patches of water or 

 lagoons, they were nearly killed, and we were obliged to leave them at Naliele. 

 These valley rivers have generally two beds, one of low water and another of 

 inundation. The period of inundation does not correspond with the rainy 

 season here, but with a period in the north subsequent to that. The flood of 

 the Leeambye occurs in February and March, while that of the Chobe, from 

 its being more tortuous, is a month later. We hear of its being flooded 40 

 miles above Linyanti, eight or ten days before it overflows there. "When these 

 rivers do overflow, then the valley assumes the appearance of being ornamented 

 with chains of lakes. This is probably the geologically recent form which the 

 great basin showed, for all the low- water channels in the flats are cut out of soft 

 calcareous tufa, which the waters of this country formerly deposited most 

 copiously. The country adjacent to the beds of inundation is, except where 

 rocks appear, not elevated more than from 50 to 100 feet above the general 

 level. 



" That the same formation exists on the eastern side of the country appears 

 from the statements of Arabs or Moors from Zanzibar. They assert that a 

 large branch of the Leeambye flows from the country of the Banyassa 

 (Wun'yassa) to the south-west, and passes near to the town of Cazembe ; it is 

 called Luapula. The Banyassa live on a ridge parallel to the east coast ; and 

 though they have no lake in their own country, they frequently trade to one 

 on their N. N. W. My Arab informants pass this lake on their way back to 

 Zanzibar. It is said to be ten days' north-east of Cazembe, and is called 

 Tanganyika, and is said to be connected with another named Kalague 

 (Grarague ?). Both are stated to be so shallow that the canoes are punted the 

 whole way across, and the voyage occupies three days. Will it be too specu- 

 lative to suppose that these large collections of fresh water are the residue of 

 greater and deeper lakes, just as Lake Ngami is, the openings in the eastern 

 ridge not being deep enough to drain those parts of the basin entirely ? 



" In a foray made by the Makololo to the country about east of Masiko's 

 territory, during our visit to Loanda, they were accompanied by the Arab 

 Ben Habib, from whom I received much of the above information. This 

 party saw another river than the Luapula, coming from the north-east, with a 

 south-west course, to form a lake named Shuia (Shooea). A river emerges 

 thence, which, dividing, forms the Bashukulompo and Loangwa rivers. 

 There is a connection between these and the Leeambye too, a state- 

 ment by no means improbable, seeing the country around Shuia (lat. 13°, 

 long. 27° or 28" E. ?) is described as abounding in marshes and reedy valleys. 

 When there, the Arab pointed to the eastern ridge, whence the rivers come, 

 and said, ' When we see that, we always know we are about to begin the 

 descent of ten or fifteen days to the sea. ' 



" I am far from craving implicit faith in those statements, for my 



