COWAN AND DONOVAN. 
347 
Lord Caledon, therefore, fitted out an expedition 
of twenty persons, whom he sent under the com- 
mand of Dr Cowan and Lieut. Donovan, with 
instructions to cross the African continent as far 
as the Portuguese settlements of Mosambique or 
Sofala. They, accordingly, penetrated beyond 
Leetakoo ; and a letter, dated the ^Ist of De- 
cember 1808, was received from Dr Cowan,*' 
who was then at the residence of Makkrakka, 
a chief who had separated from the king of Lee- 
takoo. They were in about 24° S. lat. which 
would make them nearly eleven days' journey 
beyond that city. The country was described 
as more rich and beautiful than any they had 
yet seen in Southern Africa ; it was watered by 
the river Meloppo, which rose out of a large lake, 
and flowed in a north-west direction. Nothing 
could exceed the kindness which they experienc- 
ed from Makkrakka, who even sent his brother 
to introduce them to the Wanketchies, the tribe 
whom they were next to visit. Unfavourable 
rumours, however, arising, Lord Caledon sent a 
vessel to Sofala to make every possible inquiry. 
The intelhgence there received was, that the 
travellers having arrived in the dominions of the 
king of Zaire, between Inhambane and Sofala, 
that prince made a demand of one of the boat* 
* Quart. Rev. July 1815. 
