t from the
south by means of their canoes, which enabled them to obtain a living
from the fine fish which abound in the lakelet. They had a large
quantity of excellent salt sewed up in bark, some of which we bought, our
own having run out. We anchored for the night off their floating camp,
and were visited by myriads of mosquitoes. Some of the natives show a
love of country quite surprising. We saw fugitives on the mountains, in
the north of the lake, who were persisting in clinging to the haunts of
their boyhood and youth, in spite of starvation and the continual danger
of being put to death by the Mazitu.

A few miles below the lakelet is the last of the great slave-crossings.
Since the Ajawa invasion the villages on the left bank had been
abandoned, and the people, as we saw in our ascent, were living on the
right or western bank.

As we were resting for a few minutes opposite the valuable fishery at
Movunguti, a young effeminate-looking man from some sea-coast tribe came
in great state to have a look at us. He walked under a large umbrella,
and was followed by five handsome damsels gaily dressed and adorned with
a view to attract purchasers. One was carrying his pipe for smoking
bang, here called "chamba;" another his bow and arrows; a third his
battle-axe; a fourth one of his robes; while the last was ready to take
his umbrella when he felt tired. This show of his merchandise was to
excite the cupidity of any chief who had ivory, and may be called the
lawful way of carrying on the slave-trade. What proportion it bears to
the other ways in which we have seen this traffic pursued, we never found
means of forming a judgment. He sat and looked at us for a few minutes,
the young ladies kneeling behind him; and having satisfied himself that
we were not likely to be customers, he departed.

On our first trip we met, at the landing opposite this place, a middle-
aged woman of considerable intelligence, and possessing more knowledge of
the country than any of the men. Our first definite information about
Lake Nyassa was obtained from her. Seeing us taking notes, she remarked
that she had been to the sea, and had there seen white men writing. She
had seen camels also, probably among the Arabs. She was the only
Manganja woman we ever met who was ashamed of wearing the "pelele," or
lip-ring. She retired to her hut, took it out, and kept her hand before
her mouth to hide the hideous hole in the lip while convers