524 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
in the low rocky terrace, and proceeded to view the 
cataract of Isangila. On the left rises the precipitous 
shoulder of a mountain ridne, the highest summit of 
which may be 900 feet. On the right a naked and low 
rocky terrace is projected from a grassy and gently 
sloping shelf a mile deep, above which the table-land 
rises 1200 feet with steep slopes. The rocky terrace 
appears to be covered by the river in the Hood season, 
but at this period it is contracted to a width of 500 yards. 
The fall is in the shape of a crescent, along which arise 
at intervals rocky protuberances of an iron-rust colour, 
seven in number, one of which, near the middle of the 
stream, is large enough to be called an islet, being pro- 
bably a hundred yards in length. Near the right side 
there is a clear drop of ten feet, and close below it 
another drop of eight feet ; on the left side the river 
hurls itself against the base of the cliff, and then swerves 
abruptly aside to a south-west-by-south direction ; it 
bounds down the steep descent in a succession of high 
leaping billows, along a wild tempestuous stretch of a 
mile and a half in length, disparted in its course by a 
lofty island, below which it sweeps round into an ample 
sand-lined basin on the left bank, south of the cataract. 
To study the nature of the ground I proceeded to a point 
opposite the basin, and observed the river continue in a 
westerly course (magnetic). There are abundant traces 
of lava in the neighbourhood of this cataract, and the 
cliffs opposite have the appearance of rock subjected to 
the influence of a fierce fire. 
After about two hours’ stay here, the inhabitants of 
Mwato Zinge, Mwato Wanclu, and Mbincla visited us, 
and we soon became on terms of sociable and friendly 
intercourse with them, but, unfortunately, they possessed 
nothing but ground-nuts, bitter cassava, and a few 
bananas. A couple of goats were purchased at a ruin- 
ous price ; a handful of ground-nuts cost a necklace of 
beads, while cowries were worthless. Rum, gunpowder, 
and guns would have purchased ample supplies ; but such 
things required a railway for transportation, and our own 
guns we could not part with. One chief from the left 
