318 PARKER ON THE QUILIMANE AND ZAMBESI RIVERS. [Mar. 9, 1857. 



of 300 miles, what advantage would a vessel get by going there ? None, so 

 far as he could see. Was there any shelter or harbour for its protection ? 

 The district was within the sphere of the monsoons, and there must be occa- 

 sional typhoons or hurricanes ; evidently no trading could be carried on. He 

 never knew people so stupid and backward as not to know what to make of 

 their wax and honey. The Portuguese, being close at hand, ought to have a 

 market for their ivory and beeswax. It was mentioned in Captain Parker's 

 paper, that cocoanuts abounded at the junction of the two rivers : that, how- 

 ever, was by no means a proof of fertility, but the reverse ; it was an evidence 

 that the spot was near the sea, and the cocoanut thrived generally in a very 

 poor soil, in mere sand. Captain Parker stated also that there was wild 

 indigo ; but he should like to know of what kind. There was wild indigo in 

 almost ex'ery tropical country in abundance, but the great thing was to culti- 

 vate it and manufacture it skilfully. It was a long time before the Hindoos,, 

 who had manufactured indigo for two or three thousand years, could compete 

 with the article brought from South America. That did not happen until the 

 process introduced from the West Indies was superintended by Europeans. 

 It Avould require land of the greatest fertility, and a peaceable and well-esta- 

 blished government, capital, and European skill, to enable the Africans to 

 grow a pound of good indigo. 



Captain Nolloth, r.n., in reply to Mr. Crawfurd, said there was no 

 shelter or harbour at the entrance of the river ; but that was no reason why 

 ships might not visit it, if the river was navigable. It was not safe, however, 

 for a large vessel to anchor within seven or eight miles from the mouth of the 

 river, on account of the heaps of sand. 



The President. — Do you suppose that if smaller vessels were employed 

 to go up the river, larger vessels could anchor in the neighbourhood with 

 safety ? 



Captain Nolloth. — I have anchored there with safety. 

 The President. — And there was no dangerous wind blowing on shore ? 

 Captain Nolloth. — None. 



Dr. Livingston said ' The Grecian ' had visited the Luabo in 1853, and 

 the master thought that a vessel of considerable size could easily go in there, 

 and be completely land-locked and out of observation. He said also that a 

 short time before, he believed a brig under American colours came in and shipped 

 slaves at that port. He (Dr. Livingston) had a drawing from a Portuguese 

 pilot, who told him that there was a good harbour. It was certain that there 

 was an immense body of water flowing into the sea, and naval officers who 

 had gone there declared that it was fit for commercial purposes. Mr. Crawfurd 

 had asked what a ship could get by going up the river. The same question 

 might have been put in 1849 to Mr. Oswell and himself, when they went to 

 Ngami. Neither Mr. Oswell nor himself picked up a single tusk of ivory, 

 there being fortunately a difference of tastes in the world ; but a trader who 

 went with them, filled his waggon with ivory, and made a good thing of it. 

 He asked some Portuguese at Quilimane, how it was they were so stupid 

 as to build the capital of Sena at a place which had no connection with the 

 river of Sena, the Zambesi ; and they stated that when Quilimane was 

 founded, tlje river flowed that way, but that it was now filled up. Quili- 

 mane w^as not a place that any inan in his senses would ever think of settling 

 at, except for the advantages of trade. It was built on a great mudbank, 

 with mangrove bushes on both sides of the river, and if you dug down two 

 feet you came to water. The walls, which were made of brick, often sank in, 

 so that the bottoms of the doors had to be cut oft", the floors not sinking to 

 the same extent. 



The indigo exported from the district in question was said to be very good, 

 and also from Natal, pieces of the same plant had been shown in this country. 



