506 
PATH TO THE EAST COAST. 
Chap. XXV. 
proud of a European visitor or resident in his territory, and there 
is perfect security for life and property all over the interior 
country. The great barriers which have kept Africa shut are 
the unliealthiness of the coast, and the exclusive, illiberal disposi¬ 
tion of the border tribes. It has not within the liistoric period 
been cut into, by deep arms of the sea, and only a small fringe 
of its population have come into contact with the rest of 
mankind. Eace has much to do in the present chcumstances 
of nations; yet it is probable that the unhealthy coast-climate 
has reacted on the people, and aided both in perpetuating their 
own degradation, and preventing those more inland from having 
intercourse with the rest of the world. It is to be hoped that 
these obstacles will be overcome by the more rapid means of 
locomotion possessed in the present age, if a good liighway can 
become available from the coast into the interior. 
Having found it impracticable to open up a carriage-path to 
the west, it became a question as to which part of the east coast 
we should dhect om^ steps. The Arabs had come from Zanzibar 
through a peaceful country. They assured me that the powerful 
chiefs beyond the Cazembe on the N.E., viz. Moatutu, Moaroro, 
and Mogogo, chiefs of the tribes Batutu, Baroro, and Bagogo, 
would have no objection to my passing through their country. They 
described the population there, as located in small villages hke 
the Balonda, and that no difficulty is experienced in travelling 
amongst them. They mentioned also that, at a distance of ten 
days beyond Cazembe, their path winds round the end of Lake 
Tanganyenka. But when they reach tliis lake a little to the 
north-west of its southern extremity, they find no difficulty in 
obtaining canoes to carry them over. They sleep on islands, for 
it is said to require tliree days in crossing, and may thus be forty 
or fifty mdles broad. Here they punt the canoes the whole way, 
showing that it is shallow. There are many small streams in the 
path, and three large rivers. Tliis then appeared to me to be 
the safest; but my present object being a path admittmg of water 
rather than land carriage, this route did not promise so much as 
that by way of the Zambesi or Leeambye. The Makololo knew 
all the country eastwards as far as the Kafue, from having hved 
in former times near the confluence of that river with the Zambesi, 
and they all advised this path in preference to that by the way of 
