After sailing twelve or fifteen miles,
north of the point where Dr. Livingstone had left them, it was
decided that he must be behind; but no sooner had the boat's head
been turned south, than another gale compelled her to seek shelter in
a bay. Here a number of wretched fugitives from the slave-trade on
the opposite shore of the lake were found; the original inhabitants
of the place had all been swept off the year before by the Mazitu.
In the deserted gardens beautiful cotton was seen growing, much of it
had the staple an inch and a half long, and of very fine quality.
Some of the plants were uncommonly large, deserving to be ranked with
trees.
On their trying to purchase food, the natives had nothing to sell
except a little dried cassava-root, and a few fish: and they
demanded two yards of calico for the head only of a large fish. When
the gale admitted of their return, their former pursuers tried to
draw them ashore by asserting that they had quantities of ivory for
sale. Owing to a succession of gales, it was the fourth day from
parting that the boat was found by Dr. Livingstone, who was coming on
in search of it with only two of his companions.
After proceeding a short distance up the path in which they had been
lost sight of, they learned that it would take several days to go
round the mountains, and rejoin the lake; and they therefore turned
down to the bay, expecting to find the boat, but only saw it
disappearing away to the north.
