of the journey was accomplished through drenching rain, the low sandy plain being but little better than a marsh. To this is probably to be attributed the unfortunate death of the leader of the expedition. Whilst on a hunting excursion in Uzaramo, Johnston got wet through, and was too intent on the search for game to take off his wet clothes. Next morning he complained of what he thought was rheumatism in the back, and dosed himself under that idea till more unmistakable symptoms convinced him that he was suffering from an attack of dysentery. Through the delay in the application of the proper remedies, the disease became so much the more difficult to remove; the onward march in the continual rains only made Johnston worse, and he soon had to be carried in a sort of hammock. He got gradually weaker, and at Behobeho, about 130 miles from Dar-es-Salaam, he died (June 28). Thus was one more added to the many brave travellers who have found a grave in African soil, and Thomson, a young man 22 years of age, was left alone in charge of the expedition. It is sad that the accomplished young traveller, who had qualified himself for the work in which he was engaged by the studies and training of his whole life, should thus have succumbed almost at the outset of his mission. The loss to geographical science is a great one, for had he lived much might have been predicted of the service he would have been sure to render in the exploration of Africa. It was well, however, that his companion was a man who would not give way to difficulties without an effort. Young as he was, and unused to the sextant and geographical work, he might well hesitate long over the question whether he ought to return or go forward. He ultimately resolved to push on, and, having performed the last sad offices for his late fellow-traveller, started on July 2. His constant attention to Johnston during his illness, coupled with the anxieties consequent on the position he was thrown into, brought on a fever which for some days rendered him very unfit for travelling.

Crossing the water-parting of the Lufiji and Kingani rivers, Burton's route was struck at Kirengue, or Kilengue,' where Thomson was so weak from his illness that he was obliged to rest three days. He was now approaching the country of the Wamahenge, a warlike race held in great dread by the surrounding population. One day the more forward of Thomson's porters rushed back in a scare, shouting "Wamahenge! Wamahenge!" By a display of courage and friendliness Thomson satisfied the warriors-they were returning from a fighting expedition-of his peaceful intentions, and received

'Whilst Burton uses the interchangeable letter in preference to in the native names, Thomson says he invariably heard the latter used.

on their part the assurance of their friendliness towards the white man. A fraternal compact was sealed in the characteristic African manner by Chuma drinking blood from the breast of the chief's son, who did the same from Chuma's. The vegetation beyond Kirengue became charming, quite a contrast to that passed through before Behobeho. The undulating ground had been cut by the rains of the wet season into deep narrow glens, which had become clothed with a rich tropical flora. The banks of the streams were adorned with creepers, palms, mparmusi, and other trees of varied tint and form growing in profusion. On the tops of the ridges, however, owing to the porous soil, everything green was shrivelled up, even to the trees, under the fierce sun. "A porous surface stratum in Africa has always this result; if the surface is not damp and marshy, it becomes a desert."

Turning to the south-west from Mgunda, the chief town of Khutu, Thomson struck the Ruaha, one of the two rivers which united form the Rufiji, in about 37° E. longitude (July 21). Its breadth was then about 150 yards, with a depth varying from two to nine feet. Rapids and rocky impediments render it utterly impracticable for canoe navigation. Here a little folding-boat, which had been carried all the way by two men, was brought into requisition, and conveyed the men and bales across the river without the damage or loss of a single article. They had now entered M'henge. On arriving at Mkomokero, the chief town, the chief would not hear of Thomson's proceeding without a delay of a few days, in order that his people might see him, no white man having been there before. Thomson took advantage of the stoppage to visit the Uranga, the river which joins the Ruaha lower down. This river was found to be very deep, and to have a slow current, and it appeared to be navigable for the largest river boats. Thomson had great difficulty in obtaining guides here, and it was only after giving the chief two barrels of gunpowder that he succeeded in getting two guides. With these he recommenced his march on August 1, but he had not proceeded many stages before they deserted, and it afterwards turned out that they did not know the rest of the way. A few marches farther brought Thomson into the Uhehe country, on the great plateau of Eastern and Central Africa. For several days he passed through a sparsely inhabited country, and had great difficulty in procuring sufficient food for his men. The Ruaha was again crossed in safety, and a south-westerly course was taken to Mkubwasanga, the town of the head chief of Uhehe.

At Mkubwasanga Thomson had reached the longitude of the northern extremity of Lake Nyassa, and from here a few marches in

a southward direction brought him to the completion of the first part of his mission. On September 22 he looked down from the edge of the elevated table land upon the waters of Nyassa, 4,000 feet below him, stretching away into the southern distance. He reached its. shore at a point about six miles east of Mbungo, "without accident of any kind," as he wrote home, "and in excellent condition in all respects." The Konde or Livingstone Mountains,' reported by Lieutenant Young to enclose the lake at its northern end, appear to be the escarpment of the high plateau across which the latter part of Thomson's route lay."From lat. 8° 50' S.," Thomson writes, "the country suddenly rises from an altitude of about 3,500 to 7,000 feet, and a few miles farther south to 8,000 and 9,000, representing the general level of an old plateau, now much cut up by numerous streams into narrow valleys of great depth. This height extends all the way to Lake Nyassa. No higher altitude on our route was observed, and the highest point reached was 8,116 (bar.). No conspicuous mountain was seen, and the Konde Mountains are a range I could not discover. The structure of this plateau is of soft clayslate till near Nyassa, where the rocks become volcanic."

The travellers rested here a few days, and they then rounded the north-west corner of the lake, crossing a large stream in canoes. Thomson was here enabled to send home letters by way of Livingstonia, and then set out to reach the south end of Tanganyika. This journey does not appear to have presented any special difficulties. The route lay across the elevated plateau of that part of Africa which varies from a height of 3,300 feet above the sea in Konde, the country bordering on Nyassa, to 6,500 feet in Nyika. Lake Tanganyika was reached on November 4, and Thomson was thus able to settle the vexed question of the distance between the two lakes. This he found to be only about 250 miles, thus bringing the two great water highways within a practicable limit of communication. On Nov. 5 Thomson arrived at Pambete, a village at the southern extremity of Tanganyika which had already been visited by Livingstone and Stanley. Here, on the very afternoon of his arrival, Thomson, to his great surprise and delight, was joined by a fellow-countryman, Mr. James Stewart, C.E., of the Livingstonia Mission on Lake Nyassa, who, by a singular coincidence, had simultaneously traversed the belt of land intervening between the lakes. Stewart had reached Pambete by a route a little to the south of that taken by Thomson, and one much more favourable for portage. He started from the Kambwe Lagoon, 20 or 30 miles south-west of the point where Thomson left Nyassa, on

! See Gentleman's Magazine, October 1877, article "
"Livingstonia,"

Oct. 14, and reached the shore of Tangantyika, at the extremity of its most easterly bay, on November 4, thus completing the journey in a shorter time than Thomson. He describes his route as very practicable for the construction of a road. The highest elevation reached was 5,400 feet as Tanganyika was approached, but the rise was gradual, and throughout the whole of the route there was not one difficult ascent. The distance from lake to lake was found to be 243 miles, Pambete being 11 miles farther. The climate is described as cool and bracing; the rainfall is large, and water plentiful even in the dry weather. Cattle were found in almost every village-an evidence of the absence of the destructive tsetse fly, and sheep and goats were kept in large numbers. Whilst the two travellers were together, observations were taken to settle the longitude of Pambete, which has an important bearing on our present geographical knowledge of this portion of inner Africa. Both travellers agree as to the evidence of a periodical rise of the water of Lake Tanganyika.

Thomson had now completed the task which had been set him, but now that he was on Tanganyika he was overcome by a desire to see somewhat more of it, and especially to visit the Lukuga River and solve the mystery about the outlet of the lake. So, instead of at once returning, he decided on a journey around the western shore of the lake. All accounts agreed that it would be quite impossible for him to take his caravan along this route, owing to the difficulties of the mountains; but this was no obstacle to his project. Leaving Pambete on November 10, the same day as Stewart departed on his return journey to Nyassa, he found at Iendwe, near the mouth of the Lofu River, a suitable place to leave his men encamped during his absence. Then leaving Chuma in charge, he started on his march, taking only thirty porters and a supply of absolute necessaries. They walked along the edge of the lake where they were able to do so, and frequently had splendid views of the opposite shore, which, thirty miles off, stood out as sharply and as well defined as if only a few miles away, revealing every notch and valley with their varied tints and shades. North of the Lofu River he had to pass through Itawa, at the capital of which an unpleasant incident occurred that fortunately, however, did not lead to any serious consequences. Thomson entered the town in advance of his men, and was surprised to find the male population in a state of great excitement; whilst he was inside taking shelter from the rain, they barricaded the gate and prevented his men from coming in. Thomson put a good face on the matter, and after some trouble got outside. He then sent messengers to the chief, inquiring the meaning of such a strange NO. 1803.

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