Chap. XXXI. 
IDEAS OF A SUPREME BEING. 
641 
little below Senna. The Shire is named Shhwa at its point of 
departure from the lake, and Senhor Candido was informed, when 
there, that the lake was simply an expansion of the river Nyanja, 
which comes from the north and encircles the mountain Mu- 
rombo, the meaning of which is junction or union, in reference to 
the water having parted at its northern extremity, and united 
again at its southern. The Shire flows through a low, flat, marshy 
country, but abounding in population, and they are said to be 
brave. The Portuguese are unable to navigate the Shhe up to 
the lake Nyanja, because of the great abundance of a water-plant 
which requires no soil, and winch they name “ alfacinya ” {Pistia 
stratiotes), from its resemblance to a lettuce. Tins completely 
obstructs the progress of canoes. In confirmation of this I may 
state that, when I passed the mouth of the Sliire, great quantities 
of this same plant were floating from it into the Zambesi, and 
many parts of the banks below were covered with the dead plants. 
Senhor Candido stated that slight earthquakes have happened 
several times in the country of the Maravi, and at no great dis¬ 
tance from Tete. The motion seems to come from the eastward, 
and never to have lasted more than a few seconds. They are 
named in the Maravi tongue “ shiwo,” and in that of the people 
of Tete shitakotdko,” or “ shivering^ This agrees exactly with 
what has taken place in the coast of Mozambique—a few shght 
shocks of short dm'ation, and all appearing to come from the east. 
At Senna, too, a single shock has been felt several times, which 
shook the doors and windows and made the glasses jingle. 
Both Tete and Senna have hot springs in their vicinity, but the 
shocks seemed to come not from them, but from the east and 
proceed to the west. They are probably connected with the 
active volcanoes in the island of Bourbon. 
As Senhor Candido holds the office of judge in all the disputes 
of the natives and knows their language perfectly, his statement 
may be relied on that all the natives of this region have a clear 
idea of a Supreme Being, the maker and governor of all things. 
He is named “Morimo,” ‘‘Molungo,” “Eeza,” ‘‘Mpambe,” in 
the different dialects spoken. The Barotse name liim Nyampi,” 
and the Balonda Zambi.” All promptly acknowledge him as 
the ruler over all. They also fully believe in the soul’s continued 
existence apart from the body, and visit the graves of relatives, 
2 T 
