The Waters Of The Pangazi Were Quite Clear
Compared With Those Of The Zambesi.*
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* I owe the following information, of a much later date,
also to the politeness of Captain Washington.
H. M. sloop "Grecian"
visited the coast in 1852-3, and the master remarks
that "the entrance to the Luabo is in lat. 18d 51' S., long. 36d 12' E.,
and may be known by a range of hummocks on its eastern side,
and very low land to the S.W. The entrance is narrow,
and, as with all the rivers on this coast, is fronted by a bar,
which renders the navigation, particularly for boats,
very dangerous with the wind to the south of east or west.
Our boats proceeded twenty miles up this river, 2 fathoms on the bar,
then 2-1/2 - 5 - 6 - 7 fathoms. It was navigable farther up,
but they did not proceed. It is quite possible for a moderate-sized vessel
to cross the bar at spring tides, and be perfectly landlocked and hidden
among the trees.
"The Maiudo, in 18d 52' S., 36d 12' E., IS NOT MENTIONED IN HORSBURGH,
NOR LAID DOWN IN THE ADMIRALTY CHART, but is, nevertheless,
one of some importance, and appears to be one of the principal stations
for shipping slaves, as the boats found two barracoons, about 20 miles up,
bearing every indication of having been very recently occupied,
and which had good presumptive evidence that the `Cauraigo',
a brig under American colors, had embarked a cargo from thence
but a short time before. The river is fronted by a portion
of the Elephant Shoals, at the distance of three or four miles outside.
The eastern bank is formed by level sea-cliffs (as seen from the ship
it has that appearance), high for this part of the coast, and conspicuous.
The western side is composed of thick trees, and terminates in dead wood,
from which we called it `Dead-wood Point'. After crossing the bar
it branches off in a W. and N.W. direction, the latter being
the principal arm, up which the boats went some 30 miles,
or about 10 beyond the barracoon. Fresh water can be obtained
almost immediately inside the entrance, as the stream runs down very rapidly
with the ebb tide. The least water crossing the bar (low-water - springs)
was 1-1/2 fathom, one cast only therefrom from 2 to 5 fathoms,
another 7 fathoms nearly the whole way up.
"The Catrina, latitude 18d 50' south, longitude 36d 24' east.
The external appearance of this river is precisely similar
to that of the Maiudo, so much so that it is difficult to distinguish them
by any feature of the land. The longitude is the best guide,
or, in the absence of observation, perhaps the angles contained
by the extremes of land will be serviceable. Thus, at nine miles
off the Maiudo the angle contained by the above was seven points,
the bearing being N.E. W. of N.W. (?); while off the Catrina,
at the same distance from shore (about nine miles), the angle was only
3-1/2 to 4 points, being N. to N.W. As we did not send the boats
up this river, no information was obtained."
-
My fever became excessively severe in consequence of traveling in the hot sun,
and the long grass blocking up the narrow path so as to exclude the air.
The pulse beat with amazing force, and felt as if thumping against
the crown of the head.
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