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.
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