42 THROUGH THE DARK CONTINENT. rJune 26< l876l l Mtosi. J
We "had need to be cautious in sailing along
the coast, because for several hundred yards
into the lake the rocky masses, which the uneasy
billows only exposed in glimpses, rose nearly
to the surface.
A suspicion flashed into my mind as these
new features revealed themselves that in remote
times this part of the lake-—from Mpimbwe
south—was a separate* lake, and that Mpimbwe
ridge was connected with some portion of the
western coast—probably the southern portion
of Goma— , for while coasting from the extreme
north end of Lake Tanganika down to Mpimbwe,
I saw nothing resembling in character this portion
o f the coast. In no part of all the eastern coast
down to Mpimbwe is there anything to lead
me to suppose that the lake was ever higher
than at present; but from Mpimbwe to Msamba
I see numerous traces that the lake has been
many yards higher than it is at present. All
this dreary ruin of wave-dismantled and polished
rock was at one time covered with water.
On the 26th we camped at Mtosi, where
Livingstone, who calls it Motoshi, camped on
the 23rd October 1872. The chief’s name is
Kokira. A beautiful little bay leads from the
lake to the miserable village where he lives.
We rested on Msamba Island for the evening
of the 27th. The islanders told us that there was
a cave about 60 yards in length on the mainland
[>ne COLUMNAR ROCKS. [M s an ib a I s la n d . J
opposite, where they sometimes hid in time of
danger. For a small island Msamba is densely
populated, and every inch seems cultivated.
The islanders are clever manufacturers of a
strong, coarse, cotton cloth: cotton being abundant
in Fipa. The Rukugu river empties into
Msamba Bay.
The irregular ridge which follows the poast
between Msamba Island and Wanpembe, our
next journey, is remarkable for a solitary
columnar rock rising from 50 to 80 feet high
and about half a mile front Column Point.
Rounding Kantentieh Point,'we have a view of
three columnar rocks, the central one being
singularly like a mutilated Memnonium. These
columns are visible from a considerable distance
north or south.
Before reaching Wanpembe, Para, the guide,
gathered a peculiar kind of berry called cnirindt,
from a low scrubby tree, whose appearance
was anything but promising for such a fragrant
production as he now showed to us. The odour
was not unlike that of lavender, and its strength
was such that all in the boat near him were
benefited by its exquisite perfume.
In the little cove close to Wanpembe, on the
north side of the point on which it is situate,
the boat floated over the submerged fence of
a village, and her keel was 3 feet above it.
We obtained abundance of provisions at this