41 * 
THE SHIRE — EARTHQUAKES. 
country all round was composod of lovcl plains covorod 
with grass, and, indeed, in going thither they travollod 
seven or eight days without wood, and cooked their food 
with grass and stalks of nativo corn alone. Tho people 
sold thoir cattlo at a very cheap rate. From tho southern 
extremity of tho lako two rivers issuo forth : one, namod 
alter itself, tho Nyanja, which passes into tho sea on the 
east coast under another name; and the Shire, which flows 
into tho Zambesi a little below Senna. Tho Shire is named 
Shirwa at its point of departure from tho lake, and Senhoi 
Candido was informed, when there, that tho lake was sim- 
ply an expansion of tho river Nyanja, which comes from 
tho north and encircles tho mountain Murombo, tho mean- 
ing of which is junction or union, in reference to tho water 
having parted at its northern extremity and united again 
at its southern. Tho Shire flows through a low, flat, 
marshy country, but abounding in population, and thoy 
are said to bo bravo. Tho Portuguese are unablo to navi- 
gate tho Shiro up to tho Lako Nyanja, because of tho great 
abundanco of a water-plant which requires no soil, and 
which they namo “alfacinya” ( Pistia stratioles ) from its 
rcscmblanco to a lettuce. This completely obstructs tho 
progress of canoes. In confirmation of this, 1 may stato 
.mat, when I passed tho mouth of tho Shiro, great quanti- 
ties of this same plant wero floating from it into tho Zara 
6osi, and many parts of tho banks bolow wero covered 
with tho dead plants. 
Sonhor Candido statod that slight earthquakes havo hap 
pened several times in tho country of tho Maravi, and at 
no groat distance from Tote. Tho motion scorns to come 
from tho eastward and never to havo lasted moro than & 
few seconds. Thoy are namod in tho Maravi tongue 
“ shiwo,” and in that of tho pooplo of Tcto “shitakofrko,” 
or “shivering.” This agrees oxactly with what has taken 
place in tho coast of Mozambique, — a fow slight shocks ol 
short duration, and all appearing to come from tho cast 
At Senna, too, a single shock has boon felt sovoral timoa. 
