tna:IAID=c11443350

Not 'two-wheelers' but 'Mr Wheeler's house'. Mr W Wheeler was a member of the Executive Council of Nyasaland when Sir Alfred Sharpe was appointed the first Governor in 1907. His house would be higher up the mountain than most - the higher the position you held, the higher you could build your house. No-one was allowed to build higher than Government House, of course.

Sharpe was Commissioner April 1906-April 1907 and Governor May 1908-April 1910

From John Kemp via email: These photographs were not taken in northwestern Zambia, but on the lower Zambezi in what is now Mozambique, below the confluence with the Shire river. Mrs. Livingstone was buried at Shupanga, below Sena, on 22nd April, 1862. The "Mosquito" was one of two rear-wheeled paddle steamers of the Royal Navy assembled at Chinde, at the mouth of the Zambezi, in 1890. Her sister ship was called the "Herald". For the grave, see Tim Jeal, "Livingstone", Penguin, p257,8. For the steamers, see H.H. Johnston, "British Central Africa", Edward Arnold, New York, 1897, p98.

The bottom photograph intrigues me for it shows a quarter wheel steamer. Although quarter wheel steamers were used on several African lakes and rivers this is the first one I've seen on the Zambesi/ Shire. What a pity there is no caption!

I think these are Nyao dancers - the Vinyau (there are various spellings) is a male secret society in present day Malawi, or Nyasaland at the time of these photos.

Agree. The left hand one seems to be supported on a post. The "nyau" masks, of a great variety, are used in the performance of the "gule wamkulu" (great dance) at funeral, commemoration and girls' initiation ceremonies among the Chewa, Nyanja and Mang'anja in eastern Zambia and central and southern Malawi.