[It will be remembered that the beautiful river Shire carries off the waters of Lake Nyassa and joins the Zambesi near Mount Morambala, about ninety miles from the sea.  It is by this water-way that Livingstone always hoped to find an easy access to Central Africa.  The only obstacles that exist are, first, the foolish policy of the Portuguese with regard to Customs’ duties at the mouth of the Zambesi; and secondly, a succession of cataracts on the Shire, which impede navigation for seventy miles.  The first hindrance may give way under more liberal views than those which prevail at present at the Court of Lisbon, and then the remaining difficulty—­accepted as a fact—­will be solved by the establishment of a boat service both above and below the cataracts.  Had Livingstone survived he would have been cheered by hearing that already several schemes are afoot to plant Missions in the vicinity of Lake Nyassa, and we may with confidence look to the revival of the very enterprise which he presently so bitterly deplores as a thing of the past, for Bishop Steere has fully determined to re-occupy the district in which fell his predecessor, Bishop Mackenzie, and others attached to the Universities Mission.]

In the course of this day’s march we were pushed close to the Lake by Mount Gome, and, being now within three miles of the end of the Lake, we could see the whole plainly.  There we first saw the Shire emerge, and there also we first gazed on the broad waters of Nyassa.

Many hopes have been disappointed here.  Far down on the right bank of the Zambesi lies the dust of her whose death changed all my future prospects; and now, instead of a check being given to the slave-trade by lawful commerce on the Lake, slave-dhows prosper!

An Arab slave-party fled on hearing of us yesterday.  It is impossible not to regret the loss of good Bishop Mackenzie, who sleeps far down the Shire, and with him all hope of the Gospel being introduced into Central Africa.  The silly abandonment of all the advantages of the Shire route by the Bishop’s successor I shall ever bitterly deplore, but all will come right some day, though I may not live to participate in the joy, or even see the commencement of better times.

In the evening we reached the village of Cherekalongwa on the brook Pamchololo, and were very jovially received by the headman with beer.  He says that Mukate,[19] Kabinga, and Mponda alone supply the slave-traders now by raids on the Manganja, but they go S.W. to the Maravi, who, impoverished by a Mazitu raid, sell each other as well.

14th, September, 1866.—­At Cherekalongwa’s (who has a skin disease, believed by him to have been derived from eating fresh-water turtles), we were requested to remain one day in order that he might see us.  He had heard much about us; had been down the Shire, and as far as Mosambique, but never had an Englishman in his town before.  As the heat is great we were glad of the rest and beer, with which he very freely supplied us.