31st March, and 1st April, 1867.—­I was too ill to march through.  I offered to go on the 1st, but Kasonso’s son, who was with us, objected.  We went up a low ridge of hills at its lowest part, and soon after passing the summit the blue water loomed through the trees.  I was detained, but soon heard the boys firing their muskets on reaching the edge of the ridge, which allowed of an undisturbed view.  This is the south-eastern end of Liemba, or, as it is sometimes called, Tanganyika.[50] We had to descend at least 2000 feet before we got to the level of the Lake.  It seems about eighteen or twenty miles broad, and we could see about thirty miles up to the north.  Four considerable rivers flow into the space before us.  The nearly perpendicular ridge of about 2000 feet extends with breaks all around, and there, embosomed in tree-covered rocks, reposes the Lake peacefully in the huge cup-shaped cavity.

I never saw anything so still and peaceful as it lies all the morning.  About noon a gentle breeze springs up, and causes the waves to assume a bluish tinge.  Several rocky islands rise in the eastern end, which are inhabited by fishermen, who capture abundance of fine large fish, of which they enumerate about twenty-four species.  In the north it seems to narrow into a gateway, but the people are miserably deficient in geographical knowledge, and can tell us nothing about it.  They suspect us, and we cannot get information, or indeed much of anything else.  I feel deeply thankful at having got so far.  I am excessively weak—­cannot walk without tottering, and have constant singing in the head, but the Highest will lead me further.

Lat. of the spot we touched at first, 2nd April, 1867.  Lat. 8 deg. 46’ 54” S., long. 31 deg. 57’; but I only worked out (and my head is out of order) one set of observations.  Height above level of the sea over 2800 feet, by boiling-point thermometers and barometer.  The people won’t let me sound the Lake.

After being a fortnight at this Lake it still appears one of surpassing loveliness.  Its peacefulness is remarkable, though at times it is said to be lashed up by storms.  It lies in a deep basin whose sides are nearly perpendicular, but covered well with trees; the rocks which appear are bright red argillaceous schist; the trees at present all green:  down some of these rocks come beautiful cascades, and buffaloes, elephants, and antelopes wander and graze on the more level spots, while lions roar by night.  The level place below is not two miles from the perpendicular.  The village (Pambete), at which we first touched the Lake, is surrounded by palm-oil trees—­not the stunted ones of Lake Nyassa, but the real West Coast palm-oil tree,[51] requiring two men to carry a bunch of the ripe fruit.  In the morning and evening huge crocodiles may be observed quietly making their way to their feeding grounds; hippopotami snort by night and at early morning.