664 
THE HJEEU —MAZAEO. 
Chap. XXXII. 
Europe and in India. Government derives a large revenue from 
them in Kashmir, amounting to 12,000/. per annum for 128,000 
ass-loads ! The ancient Thracians are said to have eaten them 
largely. In the south of France they are called water-chesnuts.” 
The existence of these plants in such abundance in the Shire, 
may show that it flows from large collections of still water. We 
found them growing in all the still brg-nches and lagoons of the 
Leeambye in the far north, and there also we met a beautiful 
little floating plant, the Azolla nilotica, which is found in the 
upper Nile. They are seldom seen in flowing streams. 
A few miles beyond the Shire we left the hills entirely, and 
sailed between extensive flats. The banks seen in the distance 
are covered with trees. We slept on a large inhabited island, 
and then came to the entrance of the river Mutu (lat. 18° 3' 37" 
S., long. 35° 46' E.): the point of departure is called Mazaro, or 
“ mouth of the Mutu.” The people who live on the north are 
called Baroro, and their country Bororo. The whole of the right 
bank is in subjection to the Landeens, who, it was imagined, would 
levy a tribute upon us, for this they are accustomed to do to 
passengers. I regret that we did not meet them, for, though they 
are named Caffres, I am not sure whether they are of the Zulu 
family or of the Mashona. I should have liked to form their 
acquaintance, and to learn what they really think of white men. 
I understood from Sekwebu, and from one of Changamera’s 
people who lives at Linyanti, and was present at the attack on 
Senna, that they consider the whites as a conquered tribe. 
The Zambesi at Mazaro is a magnificent river, more than 
half a mile wide and without islands. The opposite bank is 
covered with forests of fine timber; but the delta which begins 
here, is only an immense flat covered with high coarse grass 
and reeds, with here and there a few mango and cocoa-nut 
trees. This was the point which was reached by the late 
lamented Captain Parker, who fell at the Sulina mouth of the 
Danube. I had a strong desire to follow the Zambesi further, 
and ascertain where this enormous body of w^ater found its way 
into the sea; but, on hearing from the Portuguese that he had 
ascended to this point and had been highly pleased with the 
capabilities of the river, I felt sure that his valuable opinion 
must be in possession of the Admiralty. On my arrival in 
