occupied when among the islands had a
most imposing effect. I could not get a glimpse of either shore. All the
right bank beyond Lupata is low and flat: on the north, the ranges
of hills and dark lines below them are seen, but from the boat it is
impossible to see the shore. I only guess the breadth of the river to
be two miles; it is probably more. Next day we landed at Shiramba for
breakfast, having sailed 8-1/2 hours from Lupata. This was once the
residence of a Portuguese brigadier, who spent large sums of money in
embellishing his house and gardens: these we found in entire ruin, as
his half-caste son had destroyed all, and then rebelled against the
Portuguese, but with less success than either Nyaude or Kisaka, for he
had been seized and sent a prisoner to Mozambique a short time before
our visit. All the southern shore has been ravaged by the Caffres,
who are here named Landeens, and most of the inhabitants who remain
acknowledge the authority of Bonga, and not of the Portuguese. When at
breakfast, the people of Shiramba commenced beating the drum of war.
Lieutenant Miranda, who was well acquainted with the customs of the
country, immediately started to his feet, and got all the soldiers of
our party under arms; he then demanded of the natives why the drum was
beaten while we were there. They gave an evasive reply; and, as they
employ this means of collecting their neighbors when they intend to rob
canoes, our watchfulness may have prevented their proceeding farther.

We spent the night of the 26th on the island called Nkuesi, opposite a
remarkable saddle-shaped mountain, and found that we were just on the
17th parallel of latitude. The sail down the river was very fine; the
temperature becoming low, it was pleasant to the feelings; but the
shores being flat and far from us, the scenery was uninteresting. We
breakfasted on the 27th at Pita, and found some half-caste Portuguese
had established themselves there, after fleeing from the opposite
bank to escape Kisaka's people, who were now ravaging all the Maganja
country. On the afternoon of the 27th we arrived at Senna. (Commandant
Isidore's house, 300 yards S.W. of the mud fort on the banks of the
river: lat. 17d 27' 1" S., long. 35d 10' E.) We found Senna to be
twenty-three and a half hours' sail from Tete. We had the current
entirely in our favor, but met various parties in large canoes toiling
laboriously against it. They use long ropes, and pull the boats from