228 Progress and present State of Geographical 



pearance of a party of travellers from a British Settlement 

 within the pale of their trade and influence, but as the nearest 

 point of their penetration to the south is distant more than four 

 degrees from the tropic, there is but little chance of the pre- 

 sent Expedition incurring; the hazard of collision with a Portu- 

 gueze outpost, more especially if its Conductor, Dr. Smith, 

 follow up the plan entertained by the Committee of Manage- 

 ment, of making distance an object of subordinate importance 

 to a full and connected survey of the countries through which 

 it may pass. 



Although it was not contemplated to say any thing regarding 

 these countries, when the reading of the present paper was 

 commenced, and is not quite within its scope, still as the 

 connection of the lines of discovery from the Cape with those 

 of the Portuguese is an object of importance, and must be 

 the aim of future adventurers, I shall in this place add by 

 way of conclusion, a ievi notices from Salt's excellent work 

 on Abyssinia, and Bomdich's account of the discoveries of the 

 Portuguze in the interior of Angola and Mozambique, 



The territory just indicated as belonging to the Portugueze 

 or rather that to which they lay (a very shadowy) claim, con- 

 sists of the vallies of the Congo, Coanza, and Cunene, on the 

 West, and that of the Zambezi River in the Colony of Mozam- 

 bique, on the East, with their respective and wide spreading 

 tributary streams. Discovery made from time to time by 

 Europeans and Natives from both these remote settlements 

 into the interior, has, it is believed, connected them, and we 

 have almost indubitable evidence that an overland communica- 

 tion has been established from one to the other. 



The Western Colonies extend inland from the coast to very 

 unequal distances, that of Congo 300 miles, Angola to 700, 

 and Bengula 200. The force kept up at the latter ])Iace con- 

 sists of 100 infantry and 50 artillery, together with troops of 

 the line. Each of the forts, of Encoche on the river Onzo, 

 Massangano on a branch of the Coanza, and Caconda, (the last 

 the most healthy, and farthest south, situated in latitude 14° 35' 

 and 17 degrees each) has 100 infantry ; and the other forts, 

 of which there are many, have each 60, " all recruited among 

 the natives," commanded by Portugueze officers of the line. 

 Besides these regular troops, a militia of the inhabitants of the 

 neighbourhood, armed by the Government and officered by 

 Portugueze residents, is kept up at each establishment, '* both 

 in the interior and on the coast," — "with this militia, which 

 amounts to several thousands, conducted by officers of the line, 

 and other contingencies of native force which the different 

 states are bound to furnish, the Government carries on what- 

 ever wars it may be involved in against the Cassanges and other 



