LIVINGSTONES LAKE

From the incision of the Great RiftValley to the present day, the turbulenthistory of Lake Nyasa makes an excitingand colourful story. For a long time this lake remained a myth to the outside world but slowly information accumulated; the Arab and Portuguese intrusions added greatly to knowledge of this remote continent but each degenerated into a squalid hunt for slaves. This book describes t h e encounters and incidents that have occurred along the lake's shores, and Nyasa's history is full of warring tribes, heroes and tyrants:

David Livingstone is, of course, the great hero of the lake and his Zambesi Expedition is still of absorbing interest, especially when in 1862 the Expedition was joined by five women, including Miss Mackenzie who brought with her into this wild and unexplored country a pet donkey, two broken down mules; her housekeeper and a maid.

After Livingstone the lake shore saw the founding of missions of many denominations which brought with it the religious rivalry that baffled the natives; then came the continent's partition in the most gigantic land grab in history 'with jingo frontiers drawn by frock-coated diplomats of Europe. Finally Independence was granted, Dr. Banda took the reins and Nyasaland became Malawi.

Dr. Ransford was for several years a Government Medical Officer in Nyasaland and his remarkable power of description and knowledge of the country make this book lively history.