How I found Livingstone : $b Travels, adventures, and discoveres in Central Africa, including an account of four months' residence with Dr. LivingstoneStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
History
How I found Livingstone : $b Travels, adventures, and discoveres in Central Africa, including an account of four months' residence with Dr. Livingstone
Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Livingstone, David, 1813-1873
Zassi is easily known by a group of conical hills which rise near by,
and are called Kirassa. Opposite to these, at the distance of about a
mile from shore, we sounded, and obtained 35 fathoms, as on the previous
day. Getting out a mile further, I let go the whole length of my line,
115 fathoms, and obtained no bottom. In drawing it up again the line
parted, and I lost the lead, with three-fourths of the line. The Doctor
stated, apropos of this, that he had sounded opposite the lofty Kabogo,
south of Ujiji, and obtained the great depth of 300 fathoms. He also
lost his lead and 100 fathoms of his line, but he had nearly 900 fathoms
left, and this was in the canoes. We hope to use this long sounding line
in going across from the eastern to the western shore.
On the fourth day we arrived at Nyabigma, a sandy island in Urundi.
We had passed the boundary line between Ujiji and Urundi half-an-hour
before arriving at Nyabigma. The Mshala River is considered by both
nations to be the proper divisional line; though there are parties of
Warundi who have emigrated beyond the frontier into Ujiji; for instance,
the Mutware and villagers of populous Kagunga, distant an hour north
from Zassi. There are also several small parties of Wajiji, who
have taken advantage of the fine lands in the deltas of the Kasokwe,
Namusinga, and Luaba Rivers, the two first of which enter the Tanganika
in this bay, near the head of which Nyabigma is situated.
From Nyabigma, a pretty good view of the deep curve in the great
mountain range which stretches from Cape Kazinga and terminates at Cape
Kasofu, may be obtained--a distance of twenty or twenty-five miles. It
is a most imposing scene, this great humpy, ridgy, and irregular line
of mountains. Deep ravines and chasms afford outlets to the numerous
streams and rivers which take their rise in the background; the pale
fleecy ether almost always shrouds its summit. From its base extends a
broad alluvial plain, rich beyond description, teeming with palms
and plantains, and umbrageous trees. Villages are seen in clusters
everywhere. Into this alluvial plain run the Luaba, or Ruaba River, on
the north side of Cape Kitunda, and the Kasokwe, Namusinga, and Mshala
Rivers, on the south side of the cape. All the deltas of rivers emptying
into the Tanganika are hedged in on all sides with a thick growth of
matete, a gigantic species of grass, and papyrus. In some deltas, as
that of Luaba and Kasokwe, morasses have been formed, in which the
matete and papyrus jungle is impenetrable. In the depths of them are
quiet and deep pools, frequented by various aquatic birds, such as
geese, ducks, snipes, widgeons, kingfishers and ibis, cranes and
storks, and pelicans. To reach their haunts is, however, a work of great
difficulty to the sportsman in quest of game; a work often attended with
great danger, from the treacherous nature of these morasses, as well as
from the dreadful attacks of fever which, in these regions, invariably
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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