During Our Subsequent Detention At Shupanga, He Proceeded As Far Up
The Shire As The Upper Cataracts, And Saw The Mere Remnants Of That
Dense Population, Which We At First Had Found Living In Peace And
Plenty, But Which Was Now Scattered And Destroyed By Famine And
Slave-Hunting.
The land, which both before and after we found so
fair and fruitful, was burned up by a severe drought; in fact, it was
at its very worst.
With most praiseworthy energy, and in spite of
occasional attacks of fever, he then ascended the Zambesi as far as
Kebrabasa; and, what may be of interest to some, compared it, in
parts, to the Danube. His estimate of the highlands would naturally
be lower than ours. The main drawbacks in his opinion, however, were
the slave-trade, and the power allowed the effete Portuguese of
shutting up the country from all except a few convicts of their own
nation. The time of his coming was inopportune; the disasters which,
from inexperience, had befallen the Mission of the Universities, had
a depressing effect on the minds of many at home, and rendered a new
attempt unadvisable; though, had the Scotch perseverance and energy
been introduced, it is highly probable that they would have reacted,
most beneficially, on the zeal of our English brethren, and desertion
would never have been heard of. After examining the country, Mr.
Stewart descended the Zambesi in the beginning of the following year,
and proceeded homewards with his report, by Mosambique and the Cape.
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