The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume I (of 2), 1866-1868Livingstone, David
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The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume I (of 2), 1866-1868
Livingstone, David
Africa, Central -- Description and travel
_28th March, 1867._--Set-in rain and Chuma fell ill. There are cotton
bushes of very large size here of the South American kind. After
sleeping in various villages and crossing numerous streams, we came to
Mombo's village, near the ridge overlooking the Lake.
_31st March, and 1st April, 1867._--I was too ill to march through. I
offered to go on the 1st, but Kasonso's son, who was with us,
objected. We went up a low ridge of hills at its lowest part, and soon
after passing the summit the blue water loomed through the trees. I
was detained, but soon heard the boys firing their muskets on reaching
the edge of the ridge, which allowed of an undisturbed view. This is
the south-eastern end of Liemba, or, as it is sometimes called,
Tanganyika.[50] We had to descend at least 2000 feet before we got to
the level of the Lake. It seems about eighteen or twenty miles broad,
and we could see about thirty miles up to the north. Four considerable
rivers flow into the space before us. The nearly perpendicular ridge
of about 2000 feet extends with breaks all around, and there,
embosomed in tree-covered rocks, reposes the Lake peacefully in the
huge cup-shaped cavity.
I never saw anything so still and peaceful as it lies all the morning.
About noon a gentle breeze springs up, and causes the waves to assume
a bluish tinge. Several rocky islands rise in the eastern end, which
are inhabited by fishermen, who capture abundance of fine large fish,
of which they enumerate about twenty-four species. In the north it
seems to narrow into a gateway, but the people are miserably deficient
in geographical knowledge, and can tell us nothing about it. They
suspect us, and we cannot get information, or indeed much of anything
else. I feel deeply thankful at having got so far. I am excessively
weak--cannot walk without tottering, and have constant singing in the
head, but the Highest will lead me further.
Lat. of the spot we touched at first, 2nd April, 1867. Lat. 8 deg. 46' 54"
S., long. 31 deg. 57'; but I only worked out (and my head is out of order)
one set of observations. Height above level of the sea over 2800 feet,
by boiling-point thermometers and barometer. The people won't let me
sound the Lake.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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