the different villages: one of these honoured them, as they slept in the
open air, by dancing and singing at their feet the whole night. These
poor fellows sympathized with the explorers, probably in the belief that
they belonged to their own class; and, uninfluenced by the general
opinion of their countrymen, they really pitied, and took kindly to the
strangers, and often guided them faithfully from place to place, when no
sane man could be hired for love or money.

The bearing of the Manganja at this time was very independent; a striking
contrast to the cringing attitude they afterwards assumed, when the cruel
scourge of slave-hunting passed over their country. Signals were given
from the different villages by means of drums, and notes of defiance and
intimidation were sounded in the travellers' ears by day; and
occasionally they were kept awake the whole night, in expectation of an
instant attack. Drs. Livingstone and Kirk were desirous that nothing
should occur to make the natives regard them as enemies; Masakasa, on the
other hand, was anxious to show what he could do in the way of fighting
them.

The perseverance of the party was finally crowned with success; for on
the 18th of April they discovered Lake Shirwa, a considerable body of
bitter water, containing leeches, fish, crocodiles, and hippopotami. From
having probably no outlet, the water is slightly brackish, and it appears
to be deep, with islands like hills rising out of it. Their point of
view was at the base of Mount Pirimiti or Mopeu-peu, on its S.S.W. side.
Thence the prospect northwards ended in a sea horizon with two small
islands in the distance--a larger one, resembling a hill-top and covered
with trees, rose more in the foreground. Ranges of hills appeared on the
east; and on the west stood Mount Chikala, which seems to be connected
with the great mountain-mass called Zomba.