entered the Chingerere or Paguruguru valley, through which, in the rainy
season, runs the streamlet Pajodze. The mountains on our left, between
us and the Zambesi, our guides told us have the same name as the valley,
but that at the confluence of the Pajodze is called Morumbwa. We struck
the river at less than half a mile to the north of the cataract Morumbwa.
On climbing up the base of this mountain at Pajodze, we found that we
were distant only the diameter of the mountain from the cataract. In
measuring the cataract we formerly stood on its southern flank; now we
were perched on its northern flank, and at once recognized the
onion-shaped mountain, here called Zakavuma, whose smooth convex surface
overlooks the broken water. Its bearing by compass was l80 degrees from
the spot to which we had climbed, and 700 or 800 yards distant. We now,
from this standing-point, therefore, completed our inspection of all
Kebrabasa, and saw what, as a whole, was never before seen by Europeans
so far as any records show.

The remainder of the Kebrabasa path, on to Chicova, was close to the
compressed and rocky river. Ranges of lofty tree-covered mountains, with
deep narrow valleys, in which are dry watercourses, or flowing rivulets,
stretch from the north-west, and are prolonged on the opposite side of
the river in a south-easterly direction. Looking back, the mountain
scenery in Kebrabasa was magnificent; conspicuous from their form and
steep sides, are the two gigantic portals of the cataract; the vast
forests still wore their many brilliant autumnal-coloured tints of green,
yellow, red, purple, and brown, thrown into relief by the grey bark of
the trunks in the background. Among these variegated trees were some
conspicuous for their new livery of fresh light-green leaves, as though
the winter of others was their spring. The bright sunshine in these
mountain forests, and the ever-changing forms of the cloud shadows,
gliding over portions of the surface, added fresh charms to scenes
already surpassingly beautiful.

From what we have seen of the Kebrabasa rocks and rapids, it appears too
evident that they must always form a barrier to navigation at the
ordinary low water of the river; but the rise of the water in this gorge
being as much as eighty feet perpendicularly, it is probable that a
steamer might be taken up at high flood, when all the rapids are smoothed
over, to run on the Upper Zambesi. The most formidable catar