Livingstone had no doubt that he
and his party were the discoverers; Dr. Roscher, on whose behalf a claim
was subsequently made, was two months later, and his unfortunate murder
by the natives made it doubtful at what point he reached the lake. The
discovery of Lake Nyassa, as well as Lake Shirwa, was of immense
importance, because they were both parallel to the ocean, and the whole
traffic of the regions beyond must pass by this line. The configuration
of the Shire Valley, too, was favorable to colonization. The valley
occupied three different levels. First there was a plain on the level of
the river, like that of the Nile, close and hot. Rising above this to
the east there was another plain, 2000 feet high, three or four miles
broad, salubrious and pleasant. Lastly, there was a third plain 3000
feet above the second, positively cold. To find such varieties of
climate within a few miles of each other was most interesting.
In other respects the region opened up was remarkable. There was a great
amount of fertile land, and the products were almost endless.
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