off in some other direction, and at last, despairing of more ivory, turned homewards.  From first to last they were extremely kind to me, and showed all due respect to the Sultan’s letter.  I am glad that I was witness to their mode of trading in ivory and slaves.  It formed a complete contrast to the atrocious dealings of the Kilwa traders, who are supposed to be, but are not, the subjects of the same Sultan.  If one wished to depict the slave-trade in its most attractive, or rather least objectionable, form, he would accompany these gentlemen subjects of the Sultan of Zanzibar.  If he would describe the land traffic in its most disgusting phases he would follow the Kilwa traders along the road to Nyassa, or the Portuguese half-castes from Tette to the River Shire.

Keeping to the north of Nsama altogether, and moving westwards, our small party reached the north end of Moero on the 8th November last.  There the Lake is a goodly piece of water twelve or more miles broad, and flanked on the east and west by ranges of lofty tree-covered mountains.  The range on the west is the highest, and is part of the country called Rua-Moero; it gives off a river at its north-west end called Lualaba, and receives the River Kalongosi (pronounced by the Arabs Karungwesi) on the east near its middle, and the rivers Luapula and Rovukwe at its southern extremity.  The point of most interest in Lake Moero is that it forms one of a chain of lakes, connected by a river some 500 miles in length.  First of all the Chambeze rises in the country of Mambwe, N.E. of Molemba.  It then flows south-west and west till it reaches lat. 11 deg.  S., and long. 29 deg.  E., where it forms Lake Bemba or Bangweolo, emerging thence it assumes the new name Luapula, and comes down here to fall into Moero.  On going out of this Lake it is known by the name Lualaba, as it flows N.W. in Rua to form another Lake with many islands called Urenge or Ulenge.  Beyond this, information is not positive as to whether it enters Tanganyika or another Lake beyond that.  When I crossed the Chambeze, the similarity of names led me to imagine that this was a branch of the Zambesi.  The natives said, “No.  This goes south-west, and forms a very large water there.”  But I had become prepossessed with the idea that Lake Liemba was that Bemba of which I had heard in 1863, and we had been so starved in the south that I gladly set my face north.  The river-like prolongation of Liemba might go to Moero, and where I could not follow the arm of Liemba.  Then I worked my way to this Lake.  Since coming to Casembe’s the testimony of natives and Arabs has been so united and consistent, that I am but ten days from Lake Bemba, or Bangweolo, that I cannot doubt its accuracy.  I am so tired of exploration without a word from home or anywhere else for two years, that I must go to Ujiji on Tanganyika for letters before doing anything else.  The banks and country adjacent to Lake Bangweolo are reported to be now very muddy and very unhealthy.