In descending the Shire, we found concealed in the broad belt of papyrus round the lakelet Pamalombe, into which the river expands, a number of Manganja families who had been driven from their homes by the Ajawa raids.  So thickly did the papyrus grow, that when beat down it supported their small temporary huts, though when they walked from one hut to another, it heaved and bent beneath their feet as thin ice does at home.

A dense and impenetrable forest of the papyrus was left standing between them and the land, and no one passing by on the same side would ever have suspected that human beings lived there.  They came to this spot from the south by means of their canoes, which enabled them to obtain a living from the fine fish which abound in the lakelet.  They had a large quantity of excellent salt sewed up in bark, some of which we bought, our own having run out.  We anchored for the night off their floating camp, and were visited by myriads of mosquitoes.  Some of the natives show a love of country quite surprising.  We saw fugitives on the mountains, in the north of the lake, who were persisting in clinging to the haunts of their boyhood and youth, in spite of starvation and the continual danger of being put to death by the Mazitu.

A few miles below the lakelet is the last of the great slave-crossings.  Since the Ajawa invasion the villages on the left bank had been abandoned, and the people, as we saw in our ascent, were living on the right or western bank.

As we were resting for a few minutes opposite the valuable fishery at Movunguti, a young effeminate-looking man from some sea-coast tribe came in great state to have a look at us.  He walked under a large umbrella, and was followed by five handsome damsels gaily dressed and adorned with a view to attract purchasers.  One was carrying his pipe for smoking bang, here called “chamba;” another his bow and arrows; a third his battle-axe; a fourth one of his robes; while the last was ready to take his umbrella when he felt tired.  This show of his merchandise was to excite the cupidity of any chief who had ivory, and may be called the lawful way of carrying on the slave-trade.  What proportion it bears to the other ways in which we have seen this traffic pursued, we never found means of forming a judgment.  He sat and looked at us for a few minutes, the young ladies kneeling behind him; and having satisfied himself that we were not likely to be customers, he departed.

On our first trip we met, at the landing opposite this place, a middle-aged woman of considerable intelligence, and possessing more knowledge of the country than any of the men.  Our first definite information about Lake Nyassa was obtained from her.  Seeing us taking notes, she remarked that she had been to the sea, and had there seen white men writing.  She had seen camels also, probably among the Arabs.  She was the only Manganja woman we ever met who was ashamed of wearing the “pelele,” or lip-ring.