Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-03-20
LYNCHBURG TUESDAY MORNING. MARCH 60 1860
:Railg Viraiaian.
Interesting From Africa.


liom tie Erplorer- Discovery of a Ne@ Lake
Ertens're Colon Gro'ciny Country Numerous
Streams for Purposes Of H1fgdtioa-- MInyjdc
turing Industry of he People, dc. de-
[from the Cape Town Mail, Jan, Isl
Further Intelligence has reached us from DIR.
Livingstone since tho departure of tho last mall
her Majestys steamer Lynx having arrived from
tho Fast coast. When she was Mt tho kongonc
ON tho 10Th December last, nr. Livingstone, was in
the enjoyment Of excellent health. The little
steam launch. supplied to the Iambesi expedition
by Mr.. McGregor Laird. is not ut all adapted for
navigating the Xamhesi, being neither able to car.
ry nor to tow, nor to attain. whilst burning wood,
II speed of more than four knots per hour. Not
wi.hstanding tho repairs by tho lynx's engineers.
the little crnIts plates are in such corroicd con-
dilion that she will, in nll probability, be aban-
doncd after taking DIR. Livingstone back 10 Tetc.
Mr.. 7. Baincs, the artist of tho Livingtono cxpc-
dl,ion to the Iambcsi, came down to tape Town
in the steamer LYNX. lie left DR.. Livingstone
with his brother, the Rev C. Livinstone. DIR. Kirk.
the hotnnst, aud Mr. Ray. tsc engineer AT the
mouth Of kongone. They were about 10 return
to Tctc, whence they were ta proceed TO the conn-
try Of tho doctors old friend. Skeleton. the chief
tain Of the Mnkololo On which cxeurslon they
would probably ho absent about right months. -
They expected that, against their return u new
steamer would be sent out from England
The navigation of the Xambcsi is still an open
question: SO far MS cXncriencr has yet gone; but 1t
i expected that during tho flood season it will bc
tounl i'll every respect to meet nll unucipatons.-
Mr. Thornton. tho gcoogist, let 'Fctc III July last,
in company with some Portuguese traders, on
independent expedition into the interior of the
country. lie wa however, expected to return at
the commencement oi the present yenr, and it is
likely he will be able TO furnish some Interesting
Information regarding the lands through which he
travelled. The party had all more or less. suffer-
el from fever; but DR.. Lyington had endured the
least.
The following letter had been received from Dr.
Livingstone himself -
koNGuoNr IIArnoR, Dee. - 1880.
We have discovered another lake. Nynssu,
Myinycsi. This seems II grand opening
The country - superb, nbonndng in run
ming rillS OF delicousy cool water, that is the
high lands. Mr.. Rae, Dir. Kirk, and DR.. Living
stone were with me. They never saw such Gnc
country. There me changes Of climate within
few miles Of each other, and it is cotton field
superior in many respects to the American. One
Lake. Ohirwa or Tnmandns, is ninety miles long
hut no one could tell how long Nyassa was. The
shire comes flowing out of it tho whole year.
There are thitty.thrce miles of cataract in it,
We saw slave trade. and this could he
abolished by missions. see matters open
ing mp where never contemplated working, hnd
think that moro good may be done for Africa by
colonization of our own honest Christian poor,
along with missionaries and ministers. We 90 up
To- Iclc, and thence to Sekelctu's bv lanl. This
will probably b. mn eight months trr
Mr.. Thomas Clegg, of Manchester, has publish.
ed the following letter received hy him from the
brother of Dir. Livingstone. ale sends me, says
Mr. tlcgg, "Aix samples Of cotton, which | value
as follows-No |. nd. to IA: No ., CD to1d
Va 3. Gld 10 ID, barely: No 1, Gld. to 81 l. No
>, I'D. t. Cd ; NJ g. 5 ID. to 53l; all exceedingly
useful qualities, particularly the four first. The
two last will he substitutes, till improved, for East
India cotton
RlvEa SHIRE. Nov. !. 1859.
My DEAR Mn. CLEGG--We have lust returned
from visiting the Lake Nya>sa. the source o the
River Shire, and, what is ol greater Importance,
have discovered great cotton growing aud cotton
manufacturing country. The cotton Is If two
kind. native and foreign. The native l. short in
the staple, and feels moro Ike wool than cotton.
The trrc IN appears t. he 0f good quail Y, with
stnplc from three fourth to mn inch in length, II
i, perennial, nni requires planting only once IN
three years. while the native has to he planted nm.
nuaily iuthe highlands, yet the people prefer the
latter, because they say it makes the stronger
cloth. We remarked lo number Of Intelligent
looking men III one village 'lon should plant
plenty Of cotton, and perhaps The English will como
soon and buy IT," Truly, the country is iull of
cotton" ,cpiied the cllely man. who was trader
and had tayclel much and our own obscr,atirn4
confirmed the truth of this Every where
il while passing through two and half degrees
Of latitude, aud it probably extended much further
Every family appears to have piece of cotton
ground, aud it was gratifying to see how clear Of
weeds and grass they kept them. DR.. Livingstone
and Kirk while passing through part Of the same
region last April. saw cotton patches OF from two
or three each, though this time. on differ
ent route, we did not observe any containing mere
than one third Of an They were in general
about n quarter OF an mere each. In every village
We saw men busy cleaning spinning and weaving
cotton The looms are of the simplest possible
construction, and all the processes exceedingly
slow.
This vast region is easily accessible. The Shire
joins the Xnmbcs about 100 miles from the sea,
below the difficult parts Of the latter river; and
for IL miles the Shire has deep channel, the
river being from $50 to 200 yards wide. III
miles from It's mouth the cataracts commence
tlat. II deg. 54 min. 81. and for 80 miles tho riv
er is not naygable goods would have to be car.
ried overland here) above the cataracts to tho
Lake Nyssa; GO miles the river is again nayigabe,
and how far to the north the great navigablc lake
extends we do not know. The natives said that
1t would take months to get TO the head of the
lake.
The Shire Valley is about twelve miles wide at
the foot of the lake, but soon expands to 20 80,
being bounded on both sides all the way by
ranges Of hills, the range the cast or left bank
being very lofty. There is exceedingly fertile
plain on both sides of the river 1--WE travelled on
the east OF the riyer) and pretty well cultivated
on the upper Shire, where it is about 200 above
the level Of the sea. Ascending the eastern range
OF hills by steep path, We soon reached q pa-
teau 500 or 600 feet higher; q second ascent of
1000 feet and we find another plateau, three or
four miles wide, and in short time we gain the
highest part upwards of 3 900 feet above the lev
c Of the sen, and find ourselves extensive
table land, which in these three distinct divisions
extends some distance below the cataracts. This
high table land is from twelve to fourteen miles
wide, and its eastern side slopes gradually down