PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 
49 
Commander Cullen, R.N.R., 1 who had noticed that the natives made use of this 
stone in building the mission church at Chisanga. This soap stone, according to 
Commander Cullen, is the same as that found in parts of Europe and used as a 
lubricant packing by engineers. When prepared for this purpose it is worth £8 
a ton. It is quite easily worked, can be cut with a knife, and is not much—if at 
all—affected by weather. 
In the sandstone formation of the West Shire district and round the northern 
half of Lake Nyasa, coal is found. On the surface it is a little shaley, but there 
is evidence that good combustible coal lies underneath. In the Marimba and 
Central Angoniland districts, also in the mountains of the West Nyasa coast 
region, and in parts of the Shire Highlands, a gold-bearing quartz exists. -2 
Alluvial gold is reported to exist on the Northern Angoni plateau, in the West 
Nyasa district, and at the head-waters of the River Bua (Central Angoniland), 
just within the Protectorate. In the valleys of the rivers flowing south to the 
Zambezi (in Mpezeni’s country) gold really does exist, and was worked at 
Misale by the half-caste Portuguese in the last, and in part of the present 
century. Although there are many reports that payable gold has been found in 
1 Senior Naval Officer in the service of the B.C. A. Administration. 
2 Between Nkata Bay and Sisya. The reef here is said to have slate walls. 
THE LICHENYA RIVER, MLANJE 
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