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. A Portuguese officer, appointed by the
commander of Mozambique, resides at Massapa with the permission of the
emperor of Monomotapa, but under the express condition of not going into
the country, under pain of death. He acts as judge of the differences
that arise there. There are churches belonging to the Dominicans at
Massapa, Bacuto, and Luanze. The origin, number, and chronology of the
kings of Mohomotapa are not known, though it is believed there were
kings here in the time of the queen of Sheba, and that they were subject
to her, as she got her gold from thence. In the mountain of Anfur or
Fura, near Massapa, there are the ruins of stately buildings, supposed
to be those of palaces and castles. In process of time this great
empire was divided into three kingdoms, called Quiteve, Sabanda, and
Chicanga[393], which last is the most powerful, as possessing the
mines of Manica, Butua, and others.
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