BEATING THE WAR-DRUM. 6l$ 



occupied when amongst the islands had a most imposing 

 effect. I could not get a glimpse of either shore. All the 

 right bank beyond Lupata is low and flat ; on the north, 

 the ranges of hills and dark lines below them are seen, but 

 from the boat it is impossible to see the shore. I only- 

 guess the breadth of the river to be two miles ; it is pro- 

 bably more. Next day we landed at Shiramba for break- 

 fast, having sailed 8£ hours from L,upata. This was once 

 the residence of a Portuguese brigadier, who spent large 

 sums of money in embellishing his house and gardens ; 

 these we found in entire ruin, as his half-caste son had 

 destroyed all and then rebelled against the Portuguese, 

 but with less success than either Nyaude or Kisaka, for 

 he had been seized and sent a prisoner to Mozambique 

 a short time before our visit. All the southern shore has 

 been ravaged by the Caffres, who are here named Landeens, 

 and most of the inhabitants who remain acknowledge the 

 authority of Bonga and not of the Portuguese. When at 

 breakfast, the people of Shiramba commenced beating 

 the drum of war. Lieutenant Miranda, who was well 

 acquainted with the customs of the country, immediately 

 started to his feet, and got all the soldiers of our party 

 under arms : he then demanded of the natives why the 

 drum was beaten while we were there. They gave an 

 evasive reply ; and as they employ this means of collecting 

 their neighbours when they intend to rob canoes, our 

 watchfulness may have prevented their proceeding 

 further. 



We spent the night of the 26th on the island called 

 Nkuesi, opposite a remarkable saddle-shaped mountain, 

 and found that we were just on the 17th parallel of 

 latitude. The sail down the river was very fine ; the 

 temperature becoming low, it was pleasant to the feelings ; 

 but the shores being flat and far from us, the scenery was 

 uninteresting. We breakfasted on the 27th at Pita, and 

 found some half-caste Portuguese had established them- 

 selves there, after fleeing from the opposite bank to escape 

 Kisaka's people, who were now ravaging all the Maganja 

 country. On the afternoon of the 27 th we arrived at 

 Senna. (Commandant Isidore's house, 300 yards S.W. of 

 the mud fort on the banks of the river : lat. 17 27' 1" S., 

 long. 35 io' E.) We found Senna to be twenty-three 

 and a half hours' sail from Tete. We had the current 

 entirely in our favour, but met various parties in large 



