New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-22
RIVER SHIRE, Jan. G, 1862.

July II, 1907
RIVER SHIRE, Jan. 6, 1862.
Having lately returned from the exploration Of
about 200 miles of Lake Nyassa few notes respect,
ing this part of the Lake region of inter-ropical
Africs may no, be unacceptable to my fellow-mem.
bers of the American Geographical and STATISTICAL
Society:
We carried boat past the Murchison' catarac's
of this river, in August last, distance OF % or ~
miles. In tina, space we have five considerable cat
aracs of 100 to $50 feet EACH bat the intermediate
spaces are very rapid to- as may be inferred BY the
total descent being /, 200 feet. When we launched
the boat on the Upper Shire we were virtually on
the Like, though 60 miles distant for that part oil
of the river parakes much of the character oil
lake. It spreads out in one spot to lakeet, ~ or
y miles long, and OF broad.
On the I'd of September we sailed into Lake
Nysssa, and found it to lie very deep. Our means
of sounding were very imperfect we had brought
lead line of thrty-fve fathoms; failing to reach the
bottom at mile from the shore we employed fish
nc line and found bottom in bay at one hundred
fathoms, or six hundred feet: but nile outside OF
the bay we felt none with one hundred and sixteen
fathoms, or six hundred and ninety-six feet. The
water il cool in consequence Of its large volume,
and alligators (which well fed on fish seldom modest
mepl allowed Us to bath in its waters Whenever we
chose. This great luxury can be enjoyed in but few
African rivers, and palisades are often made by the
natives TO protect women in drawing water against
these dangerous reptiles The shape Of the lake Is,
with the help perhaps of little imagination, some
what like Italy on the map. The ankle oil the boot
is in the narrowest part about eighteen or twenty
miles: that is if We exclude the arms Of its southern
end. One OF these, thirty miles long and ten or
twelve broad, is prolonged into the Shire. The
other about tie same BREADTH is eighteen miles long,
and if We reject the boot shape we may say that the
southern end las forked appearance. 1t expands
up toward the north to fifty or sixty miles; the
length is over two hundred miles probably two hun
dred and twenty-five, but we failed to reach above
the two hundred 1t begins in latitude fourteen de-
Qrees twenty-five minutes south, and extends INTO
the Southern borders of the tenth degree OF south
latitude 1t lies between the 35th and 3oth degrees
east longitude, aud is very nearly straight. We
sailed along tbs western shore and found 1t 10 be
succession of bays all open TO the East. We were
there during the prevalence Of equinoctial gales and
found that furious storms came down with great
suddenness from the mountains and high lands with
which Lake Nyassa il surrounded. Heavy seas IN
which no open boa, could live often get up IN fifteen
or twenty minutes There are several small rounded
rocky islands covered with forests, which are unin-
bsbied. These would afford no shelter to a ship,
for MANY rocks put out from deep water near them
an anchorage is to be found only Lear the shore.
Five rivers Of fifteen to thirty yards flow into il from
l.. Of stya Hntp IN
from the North but that we did not see The lake
rses and falls about three feet between the wet and
dry seasons the water il fresh but somewhat earthly
tasted and hard. The population on Its shores ls
prodigiousy large; all engage in catching fish by
nets hooks, creels torches or poison. Slavery IL
the only trade they know. An Arab vessel called
dhow had lately been built on the lake to carry
slaves acre,s, aud we daily EXPECT steamer lin
parts out from England to be carried past the
caaraots and launched on its waters Tor very diff
ferent purpose. The natives bad never seen Euro
means before and we had 10 bear 10 be stared at 10
any amount They were upon the whole ciyil no
fines were levied or dues demanded. We Were,
however, robbed in the sphere Of the SLAYER ope-
rations the fret tine we had suffered oss by thieves
in Africa. The people are much less honest where
slavlDg goes than elsewhere, and there they place
but little value on human life. We went up TO show
a mission (sent out by the Oxford ard Cambridge
Unversities healthy locality on the islands south
of Mount Zomba, aud in trying TO induce d tribe
called Aiawa 10 desist from slaye-bunting were at
tackled with poisoned arrows and guns, aud but for
recourse to firearms in self.defense would coon
have been made food for tie vultures; they were
the first who have attacked in Africa, aud seemed
maddened by continued success in clever forays
against their fellow-countrymen.
Africa is continent OF the Future. II is impos-
sible to recits its capabilities. 1t is preeminenty
cotton country for here the plant il perennial and
requires liue Of that heart breaking toll necessary
where it is an exotic; no frosts eLdaDger the crops
and tho best qualities yield largely SIave-hun,ing
is The greatest drawback known-it depopulatos the
country 70 much that labor becomes dead in proper
ton to its prevalence The Portuguese possessions
on the Zambezi valueess, because all the labor
IS departed to Bourbon, the subjects of bis Most
Frightful Majesty OF Lisbon having performed the
part OF the boy Of the Goose with the Golden Egg.
In addition 10 the missions Of the English Univer-
sites two other missions in this region eoDtem-
plated. Healthy localities can be secured on the
highlands, which arise on our Fast to hight Of
some Z 900 or 600 feet above the sea-
lam, &c, DAVID LIVINGSTONE.
So named Sir Roderick Muchison President Of the
Royal Geographical Society Of London
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