Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-01-20

DR.. LIVINGSTONE IN AFRICA.-Dr. Living
sent letter from Africa to the American
Geographical Society. 1t is dated from the
Zambeze river, which he was exploring in a
small steamboat
1--WE ascended the Shire lately, fully a
hundred miles from its confluence with the
Zambeze, and found it with a two fathom
/, channel all the way up. 1t varied from 80
h $50 yards in width, and contains no sand
hams 1t flows in beautiful fertile valley
ahout twenty miles wide, and fringed with
mountain. Of great beauty. well woo'ad 10
their ton Mora NJ. Vala we assembled. and
found it 400 fAet high. 1t was well cultiva-
ted on the top, az. d had several fine little
fountains, the watns OF which were slightly
chalybeate; they have a hot sulphurous
fountain at the base, temperature Iva
Farenheit.) The peorle had many sweet po-
tatoes. holcus sorghum, and other grams,
and pine apple, lemon and orange trees hey
were very hospitable, and are Independent e..
The vegetation is very different from that on
the plains. and 50 is the climate, yet with all
these advantages, no use has been made OF
it as a sanitarum by the Portuguese, and,
as far as we can ascertain. this river has new
er been explored by Europeans before. One
part Of the Iuxuriant valley of the Shire is
marshv. and abounds in lagoons, in which
grow great quantities of rhe l1'ns plant. The
people were busy collecting ttr HJers which
when boiled or roasted resemble chestnuts.
They are thus Lotophagi, such as are mem
toned by Herodotus. Another part Of the
valley abounds in elephants. My com
paniOns estimated the number we saw at
eight hundred Herd upon herd appeared
as far as the eye cou, reach; and noble au-
imals they were. W sometimes chased them
our little steamer. for the stream branches
off occasionally and forms islands. The up
per part of the valley is we'll peopled, and
llany of the 4.l.s are cultivated high up.
But never having seen us before, they looked
on us with great suspicion. They watched
us constantly, well armed with bows and
poisoned arrows. ready to rep | any attack.
but no incivllty was offered when we land
ed. nor were our wooding party molested.
We obtained what may he CO sldered rella-
ble informa ton, that the Shire actually does
flow out Of Lake Nyanga. We were brought
up bv a cataract, but five days beyond tins
p0int the water u smooth again, and Arabs
come down IN canoes from Nyanga thlther.
Seeing the suspicious we had aroused, we
deemed it unsafe to leave the vessel
and 90 overland. But no collision
took place. The greatest coward nres
first, 50. thinking we had az much pluck as
them we did not lit "a gun, tn 9ugh we saw
them ready to fire. or rather shoot. We dId
nothing t. make us ashamed u return, and
mean to do 50 next mouth. and if we have
their confidence we may 60 further. Ihey
had abundance Of provisions. and sold them
at a cheap rate. Also cotton Of two kinds
one indigenous, short in the staple but very |
strong, and woolv to the feeling. the other |
very fine and long in the staple. We bought |
Il number Of specimens Of their spIndles and |
warn. and as it was quite equal to American |
uplands. did not offer them any American |
seed The cotton-plant is met with every !
where, and though burned down annually, |
springs up again as fresh and strong as ever. |
They grow sugar-cane, too, bananas, &c. |
The men are said by the Portuguese TO be |
very intelligent, but very mild. The women |
wear the lip ornament, round one OF which |
| put my pen The slit is made in the up |
per lip at first, by ring in childhood. The |
ends are gradually pressed closer together, |
and cause absorption till a hole Is made. |
This is enlarged by bits of reed, till IN lady |
of fashion a ring, cit ter hollow or cup-shap- |
ed. is inserted, and the edge Of the lip pro-
trudes beyond tAo perpendicular of the nose,
at least an inch ara thus particular, in |
case our own ladi 8 who show a noble per-
severance whc fashion dictates, may wish |
to adopt lip o.nau Is.
1--WE were warnsI 10y the fate of the Nj
ger expedition Aot to delay among the man
grove swamIs OF the delta-the very hot-beds
Of the fever We accordingly made all haste
TO get away, and we took daily quantity
Of quinine The period Of the year [ select
ed, though not the most favorable for navi-
CATION, was the most So for health and
thank God. our precautions were successful.
The Kroonten from Sierra Leone have had
more OF it than We, until a short time ago,
wnen, it being the most unhealthy season of
the year, and even to the natives. three of us
have had touches of the complaint, but are
all. now, quite well. | have never had
DAYS illness since my return. We find too,
that 50 far from Europeans being unable to
work in a hot climate, it is the want of
work that kills them. The Portuguese all
know that so long as they are moving about,
they enjoy good health, but let them settle
down and smoke al day, and drink brandy,
then-not a word about brandy in the fever
that follows-the blame is all put on the
climate.