The Northern End Of
Shirwa Has Not Been Seen, Though It Has Been Passed; The Length Of
The Lake May Probably Be 60 Or 80 Miles, And About 20 Broad.
The
height above the sea is 1800 feet, and the taste of the water is like
a weak solution of Epsom salts.
The country around is very
beautiful, and clothed with rich vegetation; and the waves, at the
time they were there breaking and foaming over a rock on the south-
eastern side, added to the beauty of the picture. Exceedingly lofty
mountains, perhaps 8000 feet above the sea-level, stand near the
eastern shore. When their lofty steep-sided summits appear, some
above, some below the clouds, the scene is grand. This range is
called Milanje; on the west stands Mount Zomba, 7000 feet in height,
and some twenty miles long.
Their object being rather to gain the confidence of the people by
degrees than to explore, they considered that they had advanced far
enough into the country for one trip; and believing that they could
secure their end by a repetition of their visit, as they had done on
the Shire, they decided to return to the vessel at Dakanamoio island;
but, instead of returning by the way they came, they passed down
southwards close by Mount Chiradzuru, among the relatives of Chibisa,
and thence by the pass Zedi, down to the Shire. The Kroomen had,
while we were away, cut a good supply of wood for steaming, and we
soon proceeded down the river.
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