Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/313

 LAKE NYASSA. 247 the binding effects of the roots, and thus prevented from falling in and disturbing the stream, as is the case lower down. The gorge where the Zambese pierces the transverse range which forms a northern continuation of the Manica uplands, has become famous in the history of African geographical research. By tradition it had been transformed to a tremendous defile, flanked by marble walls of prodigious height, and covered on top with a snowy mantle. The very name of Lupata, which simply means glen or gorge, has been interpreted as signifying the Spina Mundi, or " Backbone of the* "World," and the place came accordingly to be regarded as constituting the main continental axis. Yut the cliffs skirting these narrows are exceeded in height by many similar formations in European river gorges, not to mention the stupendous canons of North America. The highest cliffs, standing on the west side, rise vertically to an altitude of over 650 feet, everywhere presenting all kinds of folds and faults in the strata of its silicious schistose rocks. But the eastern or opposite side is greatly inclined and completely forest-clad, rising in steps towards the mountains stretching away to the east. The Zambese, from 200 to 300 yards broad in the defile, and contracting to little over 40 yards at the narrowest point, flows everywhere at a depth of 60 or 70 feet, and being entirely free from reefs might easily be ascended by steamers. The Lupata gorge has a total length of over ten miles, tenninating at its issue in a sort of gateway formed by two cone-shaped porphyry hills. Beyond this point the river broadens out between its receding banks, leaving ample space for a chain of alluvial islands in mid-stream. Farther down it branches off into two arms, one of which, the Ziu-Ziu, on the north side, traverses a low-hing swampy district to its junction with the Shire from Lake Nyassa. The river craft usually take this channel, not only when bound for the upper Shire, but also when they want to reach the lower reaches and the delta. The two branches are separated by the large triangular island of Inha-Ngoma, which is itself cut up into numerous secondary islets by passages and backwaters, where boats frequently get lost amid the reeds. All these intricate streams are known as the Rios de Senna, from the name of the nearest town, and in this region the river itself usually takes the designation of Cuama (Kwama). Lake Nyassa. While the lakes of the Upper Zambese have ceased to exist, or have been replaced by swamps and salines, the Shire still receives the overflow of the vast lacustrine basin of the Nyassa, which belongs to the system of the East African inland seas. The term Nyassa (Nyanja) simply means "Lake," nor has this great body of water received any more definite name from the natives, while its European discoverers or explorers have conferred no special designation on it, as they have on other equatorial lakes, such as the " Victoria " and the " Albert " Nyanzas. Formerly, when it was still known only through the reports brought from Africa by the missionaries and the Portuguese officials, it was commonly known by the