DR. KIRK'S REPORT. 361 



these are of the Waiao tribe, the same whom we call Ajawa on the Zambesi. 

 This is a high mountainous country, with fine scenery and abundant water. 

 The streams passed had a south-east direction, or seemed to flow from the 

 Loendi, and one crossed on the ninth day's march from Ngomano was of 

 considerable size. 



" This region is well peopled, and has abundance of cattle, besides goats 

 and fowls. While here Dr. Livingstone was well received by the chief, pre- 

 sents were exchanged, and provisions obtained. In the short journey already 

 accomplished, the Bombay Sepoys had proved unequal to the fatigues and 

 irregular supply of food ; the cattle and camels employed to carry loads had 

 died, seemingly from the tsetse fly, and drilled Sepoys were of no use to take 

 their place; they were easily fatigued and useless. Here Dr. Livingstone dis- 

 carded all, except the Havildar, who bravely stuck by him, and advanced while 

 his men returned towards the coast, in company with a slave caravan which 

 passed that way, soon after Dr. Livingstone had left Malaka. An estimate of 

 Dr. Livingstone's confidence in these men may be proved from the fact that 

 his letters and despatches were entrusted to the Chief Malaka to be given to 

 the first caravan : these important documents have not yet been received, 

 although six of the Sepoys have come in, and Arab caravans have arrived at 

 Kilwa. Great interest will attach to the recovery of those papers, as in 

 them Dr. Livingstone would probably state whether he purposed again 

 returning to Ngomano (where he had left some stores on advancing), after 

 having settled the end of the Nyassa and its northern limits towards Lake 

 Tanganyika. I have little doubt myself that any idea he may have had of 

 returning had, by this time, been abandoned ; indeed, it seemed contrary to 

 Dr. Livingstone's nature to retrace his steps, nor could he have done so with- 

 out disorganising his now enfeebled expedition. His only chance of keeping 

 the remainder seems to have been to advance beyond the regions in 

 which desertion was easy. Having been fifteen days at Malaka, his party 

 advanced, still in a westerly course : the first day's march one of the Bombay 

 educated negroes ran back, and returned to Zanzibar eventually with the 

 Sepoys. 



" . . . Reaching the Lake after eight days' march, they obtained four 

 canoes, and, embarking in the morning, were all landed on the opposite shore 

 by mid-day. Comparing the water with parts of the Zanzibar harbour, my 

 informants, the Johanna men, estimate the width as nearly six miles, which, 

 from the time taken to cross, seems under the truth ; but, it is to be 

 remembered, that they are not explicit as to where they embarked. On this, 

 however, they are decided, that water extended to the north as far as they 

 could see, and they heard of no end in that direction. To the south it seemed 

 still wider. They also stated that the canoes were propelled by means of 

 poles, and paddles were seldom used. The water was not deep ; the opposite 

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