680 
VILLAGE OF KILIMANE. 
Chap. XXXII. 
we can conciliate the less amicable people on the river, and in¬ 
troduce commerce, an effectual blow will be struck at the slave- 
trade in that quarter. By linldng the Africans there to our¬ 
selves, in the manner proposed, it is hoped that their elevation 
will eventually be the result. In this hope and proposed effort, 
I am joined by my brother Charles, who has come from America, 
after seventeen years’ separation, for the purpose. We expect 
success through the influence of that Spirit who abeady aided 
the efforts to open the country, and who has since turned 
the public mind towards it. A failure may be experienced by 
sudden rash speculation, over-stocking the markets there, and 
raising the prices against ourselves. But I propose to spend some 
more years of labour, and shall be thankful if I see the system 
fairly begun in an open pathway which will eventually benefit 
both Africa and England. 
The village of Ivilimane stands on a great mud bank, and is 
surrounded by extensive swamps and rice-grounds. The banks 
of the river are lined with mangrove-bushes, the roots of which, 
and the slimy banks on which they grow, are alternately exposed 
to the tide and sun. The houses are well built of brick and 
lime ; the latter from Mozambique. If one digs down two or three 
feet in any part of the site of the village, he comes to water : 
hence the walls built on this mud bank gradually subside; 
pieces are sometimes sawn off the doors below, because the walls 
in which they are fixed have descended into the ground, so as 
to leave the floors higher than the bottom of the doors. It is 
almost needless to say that Kilimane is very unhealthy. A man 
of plethoric temperament is sure to get fever; and, concerning a 
stout person, one may hear the remark, Ah! he will not live 
long, he is sure to die.” 
A Hamburgh vessel was lost near the bar before we came 
down. The men were much more regular in their habits than 
English sailors, so I had an opportunity of observing the fever, 
acting as a slow poison. They felt “ out of sorts ” only, but 
gradually became pale, bloodless, and emaciated, then weaker 
and weaker, till at last they sank more like oxen bitten by 
tsetse than any disease I ever saw. The captain, a strong robust 
young man, remained in perfect health for about three months, 
but was at last knocked down suddenly, and made as helpless as 
a child, by this terrible disease. He had imbibed a foolish pre- 
