Beyond,
Northwards, Lie Vast Fields And Forests Of Palm And Tropical Trees,
With The Massive Mountain Of Morambala Towering Amidst The White
Clouds; And Further Away More Distant Hills Appear In The Blue
Horizon.
This beautifully situated house possesses a melancholy
interest from having been associated in a most mournful manner with
the history of two English expeditions.
Here, in 1826, poor
Kirkpatrick, of Captain Owen's Surveying Expedition, died of fever;
and here, in 1862, died, of the same fatal disease, the beloved wife
of Dr. Livingstone. A hundred yards east of the house, under a large
Baobab-tree, far from their native land, both are buried.
The Shupanga-house was the head-quarters of the Governor during the
Mariano war. He told us that the province of Mosambique costs the
Home Government between 5000l. and 6000l. annually, and East Africa
yields no reward in return to the mother country. We met there
several other influential Portuguese. All seemed friendly, and
expressed their willingness to assist the expedition in every way in
their power; and better still, Colonel Nunes and Major Sicard put
their good-will into action, by cutting wood for the steamer and
sending men to help in unloading. It was observable that not one of
them knew anything about the Kongone Mouth; all thought that we had
come in by the "Barra Catrina," or East Luabo. Dr. Kirk remained
here a few weeks; and, besides exploring a small lake twenty miles to
the south-west, had the sole medical care of the sick and wounded
soldiers, for which valuable services he received the thanks of the
Portuguese Government.
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