50 Terao's Memoir relative to the 



Article I. 



Of the Extent and Limits of the Captaincy of the Bios de Senna. 



The Captaincy of the Rios de Senna, is situated on the 

 eastern coast, oi" Africa, between 1 5° and 20° of south latitude, 

 and 27° to 37° east of London ; its extent east and west is 

 120 leagues more or less, from the sea to the vicinity of 

 Chicova; but its dimensions north and south, cannot be so 

 easily determined, since the River Zambezi sometimes serves 

 for its northern boundary, and because beyond this river there 

 is a zone of land belonging to Caffres called Maraves ; but it 

 may be taken at a mean breadth of thirty leagues of latitude, 

 making, consequently, a territory containing 3,600 square 

 leagues. — It is bounded by the sea on the east ; on the south 

 by the mountains of Sofala : its boundary passes through the 

 Kingdoms of Quitere and Barne, following afterwards the 

 countries bordering the Empire of Monopotapa, and to the 

 Zambezi on the S. E. ; on the west, to the neighbourhood of 

 Chicova: the northern part contains the district of Qnillimane, 

 with all the Caffres of the north Bogoros, to the vicinjty of the 

 mountains of Morumbale, where the Zambezi divides into two 

 branches, and thence to the pass in the hills of Lupata, the 

 same Zambezi serves as a limit to the lands of the Colony. 

 All the countries to the northward of that river, appertain to 

 the independent kings of the Maraves. From that part where 

 the Zambezi issues from the Lupata chain of mountains, to 

 the neighbourhood of Chicova, the crown lands extend on 

 either margin of it, the northern part of them continuing to 

 serve as boundaries to the independent Maraves. From this 

 topographical description, we perceive that the Zambezi, 

 whether as a cover to the land of the Captaincy, or as serving 

 as a limit to them, presents a commodious means for com- 

 merce and exportation by a contiguous and immediate naviga- 

 tion. The local situation and latitude clearly show the 

 climate of the different seasons. The state of Agriculture is 

 another sure means of judging of its wholesome qualities, 

 since experience and known physical principles, show that 

 climates change and improve or become less healthy and more 

 wild, in proportion as agriculture advances or becomes retro- 

 grade; and certain it is, that in those countries, watered by 

 the rivers of Senna, the heat is only insupportable by those 

 who are unaccustomed to it, —since, except during a few days 

 in the hottest season, there is always a refreshing breeze from 

 the southward. As to the salubrity of the climate, in spite of 

 the unculti' tate of the country arising from a feeble 



and scanty population, the most common disease is the inter- 

 mittent fever, in a '.cry mild form, and even this, at some 

 future period we may hope to see either entirely extinguished, 



