LIVINGSTONE'S TRAIL STRUCK. 381 



mined on hostilities. They had taken the Search party for a band of Mazitu, 

 and when they learned that there were English on board, they became most 

 friendly. 



On the shores of Lake Nyassa they heard of Dr. Livingstone having been 

 seen, and the party had to come to the conclusion that " all previous calcula- 

 tions, all those shrewd ponderings and siftings of evidence at the Geographical 

 Society were put an end to by the simple narrative that fell from the lips of 

 a poor native." Landing in a small bay on the east shore of Nyassa, they were 

 hospitably received by a party of natives. The headman advanced and 

 asked them if they had seen the Englishman who had been there some time 

 previous. In reply to the questions of Mr. Young, they got a most accurate 

 description of Dr. Livingstone, his apparel, etc. ; the well-known naval cap 

 which he wore being graphically described. In describing the boxes the 

 Englishman had with him, the headman said — 



" There was one, a little one ; in it there was water which was white ; 

 when you touched it by placing your finger in it, ah ! behold it would not 

 wet you, this same white water : I He not." 



Q. " What was it for — what did the Englishman do with it ? " 



A. " He used to put it down upon the ground, and then he took a thing 

 in his hand to look on the sun with." 



Q. " Now show me what you mean ; how did he do this ? " 



This brought out all the singular capability of the savage for pantomimic 

 illustration. The old chief gravely took up a piece of stick, and his actions, 

 as he imitated a person taking observations with the sextant's artificial horizon 

 (which I may explain to my less experienced readers, is a small square trough 

 of mercury — the white water), could not have been surpassed. The gravity 

 with which he stretched his feet apart and swayed himself backwards to look 

 up at the sun along his piece of stick, and then brought it down to a certain 

 point, was a masterpiece of mimicry. It is a quality among all savages, and 

 a most amusing half-hour can at any time be got out of them by exercising 

 it. To ask them to describe a hunting scene was a favourite plan ; they will 

 imitate the gait of every animal in a manner which would convince a European 

 he had everything to learn in the way of catching salient points and represent- 

 ing them truthfully." 



As the natives here remembered the names of Chumah, Wekatoni, and 

 Moosa, and gave an accurate account of the other members of Livingstone's 

 party, there could be no doubt that they had only to follow up his line of 

 march to learn the truth or falsehood of Moosa's story. At another native 

 settlement a chief appeared, holding in his hand a small English Prayer Book. 

 Striking the trail of Dr. Livingstone on the western shore of the lake, they 

 found that, at a place called Paca homa, Moosa and his companions had not 

 been of the party. The work they had come so far to accomplish was all 



