Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-08-08
OLD SERIES,
The Zambesi Expedition.

"tHuS VI Hieuu ou w" -''h ss'"'
DR.. Kirk. tho naturalist. attached TO DR..
Liv,pgston's expedition. says;
" We are over head and ears In work Ia.
boring TO get the new vessel on Lake Nyas.
81. We spen, month on that lake last
year. and explored its western shore as far
north ne lat. II 80 souih-,hat is, after
having followed 1t 900 miles north. Al.
though. undoubtedly. near the northern
end. we were quite unable 90 complete the
examination. Tho country had been dsso.
lated by war carried on by Zulus. Rich
with tho cattle Of the lake tribes, they keep
the neishborhood In terror Of tho maraud.
ing parties, which come down TO carry od
children and kill all the grown up popula.
ton. A., this par, there is no practicable
path near the shores. and had We proceeded
the land and water parties would have been
cut of for many day. from each other.
The lake isa magnificent sea. 100 feet
above the ocean. but OF great depth. We
had no line exceeding six hundred feet, and
with that We did not touch the bottom at
one mile on shere. near the northern end.
In the middle. !, will no, be very wonder.
lul. therefore. should tho water reach the
ocean level. On tie other side are high
range. Of mountains. which here ani there
jat out and form rocky headland'. dividing
the coas, into q number Of sandy bays.
The general form Of the lake is somewhat
like that Of the Italian peninsulas. Its
southern end i. divided into two dccr bay.
by high mas, of hills from the eastern
ons the SHIRE lows out. There is hut one
island u great -ire. the other. are rocky
and uninhabi,ed Many caravan routes
cross the lake, bat the most irequCn,ed are
lho.c near the south end. Further north
an Arab has built dhow. which he runs
aeros' with slaves, ivory. malaehiie. and
copper. rhcsc are tho presen, articles Of
export. The Maachl,c comes from a coun.
try abou, two monihs's journey on FOO, TO
the west. |, is spoken OF rs plcnuful.
The natives make from II copper. which
they manufacture into armlets and fine
wire. Cor the art OF drawing out wire i.
well known TO the Africans. 4, present
the lake regions discovered by Burton and
Spckc are lar beyond all access TO the Ru.
rorean. They may grow cotton and sugar,
coffee and palm oil bu, how are these 10
bc taken 20 the coas, az such u price q, will
leave any proG'7 Captain spese !. now
engaged IN finding path TO the Nile; but
grca, fear, are entertained Tor his safety.
Perhaps Nyassi may prove highway even
to these dis,an, waters. from Nyassi 10
the ea., the wny is open a. iar as natu-
raj obstacles are concerned. The Possession
of the Kimbe.i mouth by the Portuguese Is
the one drawback. In the whole distance
there are but forty miles Of portage; tho
remainder. from the lake to the ocean. il
water carriage.
The land. near the hse. and still more
those of the Shire valley, nre ft for cotton
and sugar cane; ; the hill. for cofr.c and f,r
wool.beariug sheep. We see the cotton.
either grown by the native. or else escaped
IRON gardens. and n,uri.hin, uncared ior
in the bush. The quality grown on the
lake near its north end is very fine; indeed
il would equal much Of that from Esyp'.
The Portuguese continue shaving TO a vast
extent. Thus, in the newly discovered re-
cion Of the south OF Lake Nya.a, thcy
have been sending their agents (nesroc')
20 purchase slaves taken by q marautinc
,ribe. They have thu. heen the canse Of n
war which has cleared the whole country
from Nya.sa to Ilmba Mountain, got up
fJr no other purpose hut that OF Supplying
the slaye market. On our return 81 the'o
parts, after a 'cjpurn In the interior and On
tho Koruna river. we had an opportunity
OF using force to suppress these barbarou'
acts. Many Of the parties sen, TO purchase
slave. fell into our hands, and ! think few
Of them will return while they hear tia,
tho English nre in the neighborhood. Tho
liberated slaves we made over TO Bishop
Nlackenze's mission. We have good deal
Of fever now. On the way down we los,
our carpenter by fever. without any COM
plica,ioh. OF the boats crews up the Shire
with us now. there are only I've who have
no, had fever-,ha, is, only third have
escaped; but, commonly. !, is mild"