604 
DISTKICT OF CHICOVA. 
Chap. XXIX. 
rock is the grey soft sandstone I have mentioned, but at the 
rivulet Bangue, we come upon a dyke of basalt six yards wide, 
running north and south. When we cross tliis, we come upon 
several others, some of wliich run more to the eastward. The 
sandstone is then found to have been disturbed, and at the rivulet 
called Nake we found it tilted up and exhibiting a section which 
was coarse sandstone above, sandstone-flag, shale, and lastly a 
thin seam of coal. The section was only shown for a short dis¬ 
tance, and then became lost by a fault made by a dyke of basalt, 
which ran to the E.N.E. in the direction of Chicova. 
Tliis Chicova is not a kingdom, as has been stated, hut a level 
tract, a part of which is aimually overflowed by the Zambesi, and 
is well adapted for the cultivation of corn. It is said to be below 
the northern end of the liill Bungwe. I was very much pleased 
in discovering tliis small specimen of such a precious mineral as 
coal. I saw no indication of silver, and, if it ever was worked by 
the natives, it is remarkable that they have entirely lost the 
knowledge of it, and cannot distinguish between silver and tin. 
In connexion with these basaltic dykes, it may be mentioned 
that when I reached Tete I was informed of the existence of a 
small rapid in the river near Chicova; had I known this pre¬ 
viously, I certainly would not have left the river without exa¬ 
mining it. It is called Kebrabasa, and is described as a number of 
rocks, which jut out across the stream. I have no doubt but that 
it is formed by some of the basaltic dykes which we now saw, 
for they generally ran towards that point. I was partly influenced 
in leaving the river by a wish to avoid several chiefs in that 
direction, who levy a heavy tribute on those who pass up or down. 
Our path lay along the bed of the JSTake for some distance, the 
banks being covered with impenetrable thickets. The villages 
are not numerous, but we went from one to the other and were 
treated kindly. Here they call themselves Bamhiri, though the 
general name of the whole nation is Banyai. One of our gviides 
was an inveterate talker, always stopping and asking for pay, that 
he might go on with a merry heart. I thought that he led us in 
the most difficult paths, in order to make us feel liis value, for, 
after passing through one thicket after another, we always came 
into the bed of the Hake again, and as that was fuU of coarse 
sand, and the water only ankle-deep, and as hot as a footbath 
