366 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
shore of the mainland, and passing a couple of creeks 
running deep in-shore, we came to Cape Muntuwa. 
From this cape to Msamba Island, where we encamped, 
the lake is edged by one successive series of gigantic 
blocks and crags of granite. Rock rises above rock, 
and fragment above fragment. Here towers a colossal 
mass the size of a two-storied house, bearing upon it a 
similar mass perhaps entire, but more probably split 
with a singularly clean and fresh fracture, and there 
springs up from the surrounding chaos a columnar block 
like a closed hand with outstretched fore-finger — but 
everywhere there is the same huge disarray, ruin, and 
confusion. • v 
We had need to be cautious in sailing along the coast, 
because for several hundred yards into the lake the 
rocky masses, which the uneasy billows only exposed in 
glimpses, rose nearly to the surface. 
A suspicion flashed into my mind as these new 
features revealed themselves that in remote times this 
part of the lake — from Mpimbwe south — was a separate 
lake, and that Npimbwe ridge was connected with some 
portion of the western coast — probably the southern 
portion of Goma — for while coasting from the extreme 
north end of Lake Tanganika down to Mpimbwe, I saw 
nothing resembling in character this portion of the coast. 
In no part of all the eastern coast down to Mpimbwe is 
there anything to lead me to suppose that the lake was 
ever higher than at present ; but from Mpimbwe to 
Msamba I see numerous traces that the lake has been 
many yards higher than it is at present. All this dreary 
ruin of wave-dismantled and polished rock was at one 
time covered with water. 
On the 26th we camped at Mtosi, where Livingstone, 
who calls it Motoshi, camped on the 23rd of October, 
1872. The chiefs name is Kokira. A beautiful little 
bay leads from the lake to the miserable village where 
he lives. 
We rested on Msamba Island for the evening of the 
27th. The islanders told us that there was a cave about 
sixty yards in length on the mainland opposite, where 
