native corn alone.  The people sold their cattle at a very cheap rate.  From the southern extremity of the lake two rivers issue forth:  one, named after itself, the Nyanja, which passes into the sea on the east coast under another name; and the Shire, which flows into the Zambesi a little below Senna.  The Shire is named Shirwa at its point of departure from the lake, and Senhor Candido was informed, when there, that the lake was simply an expansion of the River Nyanja, which comes from the north and encircles the mountain Murombo, the meaning of which is junction or union, in reference to the water having parted at its northern extremity, and united again at its southern.  The Shire flows through a low, flat, marshy country, but abounding in population, and they are said to be brave.  The Portuguese are unable to navigate the Shire up to the Lake Nyanja, because of the great abundance of a water-plant which requires no soil, and which they name “alfacinya” (’Pistia stratiotes’), from its resemblance to a lettuce.  This completely obstructs the progress of canoes.  In confirmation of this I may state that, when I passed the mouth of the Shire, great quantities of this same plant were floating from it into the Zambesi, and many parts of the banks below were covered with the dead plants.

Senhor Candido stated that slight earthquakes have happened several times in the country of the Maravi, and at no great distance from Tete.  The motion seems to come from the eastward, and never to have lasted more than a few seconds.  They are named in the Maravi tongue “shiwo”, and in that of the people of Tete “shitakoteko”, or “shivering”.  This agrees exactly with what has taken place in the coast of Mozambique—­a few slight shocks of short duration, and all appearing to come from the east.  At Senna, too, a single shock has been felt several times, which shook the doors and windows, and made the glasses jingle.  Both Tete and Senna have hot springs in their vicinity, but the shocks seemed to come, not from them, but from the east, and proceed to the west.  They are probably connected with the active volcanoes in the island of Bourbon.

As Senhor Candido holds the office of judge in all the disputes of the natives, and knows their language perfectly, his statement may be relied on that all the natives of this region have a clear idea of a Supreme Being, the maker and governor of all things.  He is named “Morimo”, “Molungo”, “Reza”, “Mpambe”, in the different dialects spoken.  The Barotse name him “Nyampi”, and the Balonda “Zambi”.  All promptly acknowledge him as the ruler over all.  They also fully believe in the soul’s continued existence apart from the body, and visit the graves of relatives, making offerings of food, beer, etc.  When undergoing the ordeal, they hold up their hands to the Ruler of Heaven, as if appealing to him to assert their innocence.  When they escape, or recover from sickness, or are delivered from any danger, they offer a sacrifice of a fowl or a sheep, pouring out the blood as a libation to the soul of some departed relative.  They believe in the transmigration of souls, and also that while persons are still living they may enter into lions and alligators, and then return again to their own bodies.