them asserted several times that the Loapula,
after emerging from Moelo, received the Lulua, and then flowed into Lake
Mofu, and thence into Tanganyika; and from the last-named Lake into the
sea. This is the native idea of the geography of the interior; and, to
test the general knowledge of our informant, we asked him about our
acquaintances in Londa; as Moene, Katema, Shinde or Shinte, who live
south-west of the rivers mentioned, and found that our friends there were
perfectly well-known to him and to others of these travelled natives. In
the evening two of the Babisa came in, and reported that the Mazitu had
followed us to the village called Chigaragara, at which we slept at the
bottom of the descent. The whole party of traders set off at once,
though the sun had set. We ourselves had given rise to the report, for
the women of Chigaragara, supposing us in the distance to be Mazitu,
fled, with all their household utensils on their heads, and had no
opportunity afterwards of finding out their mistake. We spent the night
where we were, and next morning, declining Nkomo's entreaty to go and
kill elephants, took our course along the shores of the Lake southwards.

We have only been at the Lake at one season of the year: then the wind
blows strongly from the east, and indeed this is its prevailing direction
hence to the Orange River; a north or a south wind is rare, and seldom
lasts more than three days. As the breeze now blew over a large body of
water, towards us, it was delightful; but when facing it on the table-
land it was so strong as materially to impede our progress, and added
considerably to the labour of travelling. Here it brought large
quantities of the plant (_Vallisneriae_), from which the natives extract
salt by burning, and which, if chewed, at once shows its saline
properties by the taste. Clouds of the kungo, or edible midges, floated
on the Lake, and many rested on the bushes on land.

The reeds along the shores of the Lake were still crowded with fugitives,
and a great loss of life must since have taken place; for, after the corn
they had brought with them was expended, famine would ensue. Even now we
passed many women and children digging up the roots, about the size of
peas, of an aromatic grass; and their wasted forms showed that this poor
hard fare was to allay, if possible, the pangs of hunger. The babies at
the breast crowed to us as we passed, their mothers kneeling and grubbing
for th