ZANBE'SI RIVER AND REGION. The extensive region in s.e. Africa, known to medixval geographers under the general name of the empire of Monomotapa, is shown on old maps as drained by a river called Zambese, or Zambere, on the banks of which appear large towns, of which the mythical " Vigita Magna" was supposed to be the most famous. The course of the stream, which is the modern Zambesi, is, however, pretty correctly delineated, and even a small lake is shown in connection with it, not far from the real position of lake N'gami. whose existence we only became aware of a few years ago, and which we now know may be considered one of the most southern collections of inland waters which communicate with the Zambesi river and the more eastern lakes. • Nyassa or Maravi, as well as the more northern lakes, Victoria N'yanza and Tan ganyika (the latter in connection with the Nile basin), are also given with such a degree of accuracy that it plainly shows, that in compiling these early maps, the distinctive features of the region must have been well known—principally, it is supposed, from Arab sources, Various settlements of that people inhabiting the e. and s.e. coast of Africa from the Red sea to Sofala.
Although the lower region of the Zambesi, for a distance of at least 300 m. from its mouth, has been in possession nominally of the Portuguese since the beginning of the 16th c., forming the captaincies of Riosdi Senna, Tete, and Quilimane, yet it is only within the last few years, through the indefatigable exertions of Dr. Livingstone (1851 56, and 1858-64), Mr. Oswell, Dr. Kirk, Mr. T. Baines, Mr. James Chapman, Charles Andersson, maj. Pinto, and other explorers, that we have got anything like an accurate or scientific idea of this vast region, which extends from 8° to 21° of s. lat., and from 14° to 37° of e. long.; and the total length of what may be considered the main stream (called Leambye in its upper course), from its mouth to the point shown on Dr. Living atone's map, where the Leeba river, which proceeds from lake Dilolo—on the summit of the water-shed which divides the rivers running n.w. into the Atlantic from those run ning s.e. into the Indian ocean—joins it, cannot be less than 1200 miles.
The river-basin of the Zambesi is coterminous, on the n., with a large area of the Congo river system, and the great lakes that drain into it; on the s. and w. an obscurely marked water-shed, crossing the Kalihari desert, separates it from the Orange river basin and the rivers that run through Ovarupo land into the Atlantic; while on the s.e., a well-defined mountain-range divides the rivers flowing into the Zambesi from those which form the Limpopo river, running into the Indian ocean.
The name of Zambesi is preserved from the mouth of the river, or rather a short distance above it, to the junction of the main stream with the Chobe, in lat. 17° 31' s. long. 25° 13' east. Thence to its junction with the Leeba (Liba), coming from. lake Dilolo, the Zambesi is called Leeambye (Liambai); and at the junction (lat. 14° 10' s., long. 23' 35: c.) it turns suddenly to the n.e. Part of the basin of the upper Zam besi was explored by maj. Serpa Pinto in 1878-79. Crossing from the w. several of the head-waters of the Cubango (Andersson's Okavango), formerly thought to connect with the Zambesi, Pinto found that the source of the Cuando (Kwanclo—Lrvingstone's Chobe), the chief tributary of the Zambesi, is about lat. 13° s. and long. 19° east. He passed several of its upper branches, and descended to the Leeambye by another tributary called Nhengo. The Cuando is a fine large stream, draining a large area of fertile coun try, and receiving several navigable aftluents. Lake Dilolo, from which the Leeba flows, seems to have an outlet both to the n. and to the south. The northern outlet probably runs into one of the tributaries of the Congo.
In the region where the Leeba joins the Leambye the main stream is often as wide as the Thames at London bridge, and perhaps as deep. From the confluence to the Victoria falls there are many long tracts over which vessels as large as the Thames steamers could freely ply But there are serious obstacles in the way of anything like navigation for hundreds of miles at a stretch—as seems now to be possible on the Congo (Livingstone) above the Yellala falls. Large this region are liable to be flooded, and to stand under water for considerable periods at a time.