, 1880-04-14

y JlDcVtf IA OAp'utoNu tu0G III Az
uutimely death of Mr.. Keith Johnston
who had gone out 10 charge of the expedi-
tion, MIR. Joseph Thompson, his companion,
had determined to push forward to Lake
Nyassa. He had heen beard of at that
lake, and since then had travelled across
the intervening country to Lake Tanganyi.
ka. The letter inst received was dated
November 9th, 1879, at Pambete, q place
at the extreme southern point OF Lake Tan
ganyika. The expedition reached the lake
on the 4th November. Mr.. Thomson ap-
pesred to have been pros:rated by fever
soon after his arrival there, and this had
prevented him from taking ADVANTAGE Of
the departure of Mr.. Stewart, of Living.
stonia, to send a sketch map and detaiied
account of his route. "The country Of
Konde (misnamed Uchuneu by Eltorh"
wrote Mr.. Thomson, "from which we took
our start, lies al the north west corner Of
Lake Nyassa, and occupies o deep triangu-
lar indentation in he central plateau, the
escarpment of which, rising to a height
OF from 6,000ft. to 8,OO0ft, bounds it on
all sides except the east. Near the lake
extends a bread plain of wonderful t%ertili-
ty, with a large population. Proceeding
northwest, we left the plain ADD crossed
a gently undulating ground covered with
trees, and drained By the Jumbaha. When
we got to the height of 3,O0Oft. we enter.
ed an extremely broken snd ridgy couotry,
forming excellent grazing land, but having
few trees, and not we'll suited for %cultjva-
ton. The country OF Kopde is drained by
three considerable r;vers-the Lufra. which
drains through the Ukinga mountains
from naar Mazote's High Pass the jun
baka VIII ich runs nearly rar0lleI with the
Lutira, but in the lower grounds; and the
Luk0viro, which enters Nyassa south Ut
the Great Elephant Marsh. The number
of feeders OF this stream dlaining from
Usata ln a small space is wonderful. In an
hour we have crossed six streams, two of
them being OF considerable volume. The
people of Konda are all Wakinga, who
have emigrated from that mountain region
owing to internal discussions. Uchungu,
as Dir. Stewart will soon make appear,
lies 10 the south Of Konde. The most
westerly limit OF Konde | place 10 long.
33e 45' e., and in lat. g 22'. From this
point the extremely steep face OF the pIa-
teau commences, aud we ascended from an
altitude ct 3,3O0ft. to 6,5OOtt. in the coun-
try of Nyika. The first two stages took
w over highlands with an average height
of about 70O0tt,, forming good grazing
ground. and we'll wooded Ia many parts.
The highest point reached was Oh the
Mcnboya mountains, a range running
about W.N.W. and E.S.E. on the top of
whlch the barometer showed q height OF
6,l30!t., From these mountains the
ground descends through barren woodland
with few fertile spots till long. 800 AS is
reached. where the altitude is only 3,30Ott
The whole of that past of Nyika through
which our route lay is extre meiy broken,
sustaining a very sccnt population, who
possess a few goats and in som places
cattle. There is very little cultivation.
The people, however, are a most courage
oGs race, and certainly the most arrogant l
have met. There is, however, no cohrsion
among them, and eGcn little head man
of a village has 70 ight his own battle with
Merere's raiders, who constantly harass the
country. To the west, Nyika 10 bounded
by the ~ChinaGambo mountains, which.
running rorth aud south, rise from 3,000tt.
to 5,00ott. with o steep easterly face, but
slcping gradually away to the west.
These mountains ars in longitude 32o 45'E.
and the latitude is about $685.. But one
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