A FEMALE CHIEF. 289 



Hundreds of linongolas rise from the clumps of reeds or low trees, in which 

 they huild in colonies, and are speedily in mid air. Charming little red and 

 yellow weavers remind one of butterflies, as they fly in and out of the tall 

 grass, or hang to the mouths of their pendant nests, chattering briskly to 

 their mates within. . . . Kites and vultures are busy overhead beating 

 the ground for their repast of carrion; and the solemn-looking, stately- 

 stepping marabout, with a taste for dead fish, or men, stalks slowly along the 

 almost stagnant channels. . . . Towards evening hundreds of pretty 

 little hawks are seen flying in a southerly direction, and feeding on dragon- 

 flies and locusts. . . . Flocks of scissor-bills are then also on the wing, 

 and in search of food ploughing the water with their lower mandibles, which 

 are nearly half an inch longer than the upper ones." 



Beyond the marshes in many places the soil is saline, and the natives 

 procure large quantities of salt, by mixing the earth with water in a pot with 

 a small hole in it, evaporating the liquid as it runs through in the sun. 

 Livingstone noticed that on tbese saline soils the cotton grown is of a larger 

 and finer staple than elsewhere. When the party arrived at Chibisa's village, 

 they found several of the men busy cleaning, sorting, and weaving cotton. 

 This was a sight which greeted them in most of the villages on the Shire ; 

 and as cotton can be grown there to any extent, there can be no doubt that, 

 if slavery was put down and legitimate commerce introduced, the course of 

 this fine river would become a thriving and populous district, as food . can be 

 grown to any extent, and there is plenty of grass for innumerable herds of 

 cattle. 



On the 28th of August, Livingstone and his three white companions, 

 accompanied by two guides and thirty-six Makololo men, left the vessel in 

 charge of the remainder of the party, and started in search of Lake Nyassa. 

 A short march up a beautiful little valley, through which flowed a small 

 stream, led them to the foot of the Manganja hills, over which their course 

 lay. Looking back from a height of 1000 feet the beautiful country for many 

 miles with the Shire flowing through it excited their admiration ; while as 

 they approached the summit of the range, innumerable valleys opened out to 

 their admiring gaze, and majestic mountains reared their heads in all direc- 

 tions. This part of the journey was exceedingly toilsome, but the uniform 

 kindness of the inhabitants and the beauty of the scenery made up for their 

 exertions. Among the hill-tribes women are treated as if they were inferior 

 animals, but in the upper valley of the Shire, they found that women were 

 held in great respect, the husband seldom doing anything unless the wife 

 approved. A portion of the valley was ruled over by a female chief named 

 Nyango. On reaching the village the party went to the boalo, or speaking 

 place, under the shade of lofty trees, where mats of split reeds or bamboo were 

 usually placed for the white members of the party to sit upon. Here the 

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