Indeed, The Coast From Here Up To Tongamiara
Seems Too Far To The Westward.
The entrance to the Luabo River
is about two miles broad, and is easily distinguishable, when abreast of it,
by a bluff (if I may so term it) of high, straight trees, very close together,
on the western side of the entrance.
The bar may be said to be formed
by two series of sand-banks; that running from the eastern point
runs diagonally across (opposite?) the entrance and nearly across it.
Its western extremity is about two miles outside the west point.
"The bank running out from the west point projects to the southward
three miles and a half, passing not one quarter of a mile
from the eastern or cross bank. This narrow passage is the BAR PASSAGE.
It breaks completely across at low water, except under
very extraordinary circumstances. At this time - low water -
a great portion of the banks are uncovered; in some places
they are seven or eight feet above water.
"On these banks there is a break at all times, but in fine weather,
at high water, a boat may cross near the east point.
There is very little water, and, in places, a nasty race and bubble,
so that caution is requisite. The best directions for going in
over the regular bar passage, according to my experience, are as follows:
Steer down well to the eastward of the bar passage, so as to avoid
the outer part of the western shoals, on which there is usually a bad sea.
When you get near the CROSS-BAR, keep along it till the bluff of trees
on the west side of the entrance bears N.E.; you may then steer
straight for it. This will clear the end of the CROSS-BAR,
and, directly you are within that, the water is smooth. The worst sea
is generally just without the bar passage.
"Within the points the river widens at first and then contracts again.
About three miles from the Tree Bluff is an island; the passage up the river
is the right-hand side of it, and deep. The plan will best explain it.
The rise and fall of the tide at the entrance of the river
being at springs twenty feet, any vessel can get in at that time,
but, with all these conveniences for traffic, there is none here at present.
The water in the river is fresh down to the bar with the ebb tide,
and in the rainy season it is fresh at the surface quite outside.
In the rainy season, at the full and change of the moon,
the Zambesi frequently overflows its banks, making the country
for an immense distance one great lake, with only a few small eminences
above the water. On the banks of the river the huts are built on piles,
and at these times the communication is only in canoes;
but the waters do not remain up more than three or four days at a time.
The first village is about eight miles up the river, on the western bank,
and is opposite to another branch of the river called `Muselo',
which discharges itself into the sea about five miles to the eastward.
"The village is extensive, and about it there is a very large quantity of land
in cultivation; calavances, or beans, of different sorts, rice, and pumpkins,
are the principal things. I saw also about here some wild cotton,
apparently of very good quality, but none is cultivated.
The land is so fertile as to produce almost any (thing?) without much trouble.
"At this village is a very large house, mud-built, with a court-yard.
I believe it to have been used as a barracoon for slaves,
several large cargoes having been exported from this river.
I proceeded up the river as far as its junction with the Quilimane River,
called `Boca do Rio', by my computation between 70 and 80 miles
from the entrance. The influence of the tides is felt about 25 or 30 miles
up the river. Above that, the stream, in the dry season,
runs from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 miles an hour, but in the rains much stronger.
The banks of the river, for the first 30 miles, are generally thickly clothed
with trees, with occasional open glades. There are many huts and villages
on both sides, and a great deal of cultivation. At one village,
about 17 miles up on the eastern bank, and distinguished by
being surrounded by an immense number of bananas and plantain-trees,
a great quantity of excellent peas are cultivated; also cabbages,
tomatoes, onions, etc. Above this there are not many inhabitants
on the left or west bank, although it is much the finest country,
being higher, and abounding in cocoanut palms, the eastern bank being
sandy and barren. The reason is, that some years back the Landeens,
or Caffres, ravaged all this country, killing the men and taking the women
as slaves, but they have never crossed the river; hence the natives
are afraid to settle on the west bank, and the Portuguese owners
of the different `prasos' have virtually lost them. The banks of the river
continue mostly sandy, with few trees, except some cocoanut palms,
until the southern end of the large plantation of Nyangue,
formed by the river about 20 miles from Maruru. Here the country
is more populous and better cultivated, the natives a finer race, and the huts
larger and better constructed. Maruru belongs to Senor Asevedo,
of Quilimane, well known to all English officers on the east coast
for his hospitality.
"The climate here is much cooler than nearer the sea, and Asevedo
has successfully cultivated most European as well as tropical vegetables.
The sugar-cane thrives, as also coffee and cotton, and indigo is a weed.
Cattle here are beautiful, and some of them might show with credit in England.
The natives are intelligent, and under a good government this fine country
might become very valuable.
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