8O', the coast falls off to the westwards,
opposite to the Pracel de Sofala or great bank of Pracel, on the
coast of Madagascar, the dangerous Scylla and Charibdis of those
seas.
On this coast are the rivers Mocambo, Angoxa, or Bayones, Mossige,
Mojuncoale, Sangage, and others, with many islands, and the ports of
Quilimane and Luabo; the rivers Tendanculo, Quiloe, Sabam, Bagoe, Miaue,
and Sofala, with the opposite islands of Inbausato, Quiloane, Mambone,
Molimon, and Quilamancohi. Between Cape Bosiqua or St Sebastian in lat.
21 deg. 40' S. and Cape Corientes in 24 deg. S. is the great bay of Sauca, into
which falls the river Inhamhane, where there is a great trade for ivory.
From the frequent recurrence of the soft letters L and M in these
names, it may be inferred that the language of that country is by no
means harsh. From the mouth of the Cuama or Zambeze in the east, the
empire of Monomotapa extends 250 leagues into the interior of Africa,
being divided by the great river Zambeze, into which falls the Chiri
or Chireira, running through the country of Bororo[387], in which
country are many other large rivers, on the banks of which dwell many
kings, some of whom are independent, and others are subject to
Monomotapa. The most powerful of the independent kings is he of Mongas,
bordering on the Cuama or Zambeze, which falls into the sea by four
mouths between Mozambique and Sofala. The first or most northerly of
these mouths is that of Quilimane, ninety leagues from Mozambique; the
second or Cuama is five leagues farther south; the third Luabo five
leagues lower; and the fourth named Luabol five leagues more to the
south. Between these mouths are three large and fertile islands; the
middle one, named Chingoma, is sixty leagues in circumference. This
great river is navigable for sixty leagues upwards to the town of
Sena, inhabited by the Portuguese, and as much farther to Tete,
another Portuguese colony [388]. The richest mines are those of
Massapa, called Anfur[389], the Ophir whence the queen of Sheba
had the riches she carried to Jerusalem. In these mines it is said, that
one lump of gold has been found worth 12,000 ducats, and another worth
40,000. The gold is not only found among the earth and stones, but even
grows up within the bark of several trees as high as where the branches
spread out to form the tops. The mines of Manchica and Butica are not
much inferior to those of Massapa and Fura, and there are many others
not so considerable. There are three fairs or markets which the
Portuguese frequent for this trade of gold from the castle of Tete on
the river Zambeze. The first of these is Luanze, four days journey
inland from that place [390]. The second is Bacuto [391] farther off;
and the third Massapa still farther [392]. At these fairs the gold is
procured in exchange for coarse cloth, glass beads, and other articles
of small value among us.
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