Nyassa. Our party numbered forty-two in all--four whites, thirty-six
Makololo, and two guides. We did not actually need so many, either for
carriage or defence; but took them because we believed that, human nature
being everywhere the same, blacks are as ready as whites to take
advantage of the weak, and are as civil and respectful to the powerful.
We armed our men with muskets, which gave us influence, although it did
not add much to our strength, as most of the men had never drawn a
trigger, and in any conflict would in all probability have been more
dangerous to us than the enemy.

Our path crossed the valley, in a north-easterly direction, up the course
of a beautiful flowing stream. Many of the gardens had excellent cotton
growing in them. An hour's march brought us to the foot of the Manganja
hills, up which lay the toilsome road. The vegetation soon changed; as
we rose bamboos appeared, and new trees and plants were met with, which
gave such incessant employment to Dr. Kirk, that he travelled the
distance three times over. Remarkably fine trees, one of which has oil-
yielding seeds, and belongs to the mahogany family, grow well in the
hollows along the rivulet courses. The ascent became very fatiguing, and
we were glad of a rest. Looking back from an elevation of a thousand
feet, we beheld a lovely prospect. The eye takes in at a glance the
valley beneath, and the many windings of its silver stream Makubula, or
Kubvula, from the shady hill-side, where it emerges in foaming haste, to
where it slowly glides into the tranquil Shire; then the Shire itself is
seen for many a mile above and below Chibisa's, and the great level
country beyond, with its numerous green woods; until the prospect, west
and north-west, is bounded far away by masses of peaked and dome-shaped
blue mountains, that fringe the highlands of the Maravi country.

After a weary march we halted at Makolongwi, the village of Chitimba. It