Captaincy of Rios de Senna. 55 



been abandoned within the two last years, but with much 

 reluctance. The agriculturists of Quilliniane, confine their 

 attention principally to the culture of rice, which is pursued 

 with great success and advantage, — more, however, to be 

 attributed to the natural fertility of the soil, than to the 

 intelligence or activity of the inhabitants. Since from the 

 reasons I have before advanced, it is not possible to estimate 

 the produce of the laud, I shall only speak as to its quality, 

 by which it will lie seen, that wealth might flow from the 

 productions of the Captaincy, were agriculture sufficiently 

 attended to. All the lands are particularly adapted to the 

 growth of the sugar cane, which is a spontaneous production 

 of the Quilliniane district, as well as of Senna and Tette ; but 

 is only generally cultivated in the latter, not more than two 

 families in Quilliniane and Senna attending to its culture, in 

 which places it is inferior to that of Tette. In the last- 

 mentioned place, there are sixteen families who attend to the 

 sugar manufacture ; the quantity made by them in 1806, 

 amounted to two tons of Avhite sugar, and ten tons of 

 muscavado, — altogether seven hundred and four arobas, most 

 of which was consumed at Tette, except a small quantity which 

 was sent to Senna, where, notwithstanding the advantages 

 which they possess, their land being particularly well adapted 

 to the cane, they are too indolent to manufacture it for them- 

 selves. Cotton is very common throughout the Captaincy, 

 the lands of which are extremely favourable to its growth; 

 all the colonists cultivate it only to make coarse cloth for 

 their own use. The whites, however, despise it, and abso- 

 lutely are quite ignorant as to the mode of cultivating it. 

 Coffee and indigo are also indigenous plants, of which no 

 advantage is taken: the latter is a common weed every 

 where ; and is not, as in America, liable to destruction by 

 unfavourable seasons, this most fertile province reproducing 

 it spontaneously annually, and uselessly, — so bounteous has 

 nature been in this particular, to those who despise her gifts. 

 Tobacco and rice are cultivated in all the three districts, but 

 they are of a superior quality at Tette. Mandioc is produced 

 abundantly every where; but to the disgrace of the sluggish 

 inhabitants, is only cultivated by a few inhabitants of Tette ; 

 whereas it ought to afford ample subsistence to the slaves, 

 during the famines which dry years occasion. The wheat of 

 Tette is also superior to that of Quillimane and Senna, 

 and engages almost all tlie small share of attention which is 

 turned to agricultural pursuits. Vegetabl s, • uch as cabbage, 

 lettuce, spinach, peas and beans of all kinds, and various 

 species of jugo, might also be abundantly produced, as well as 

 yams, potatoes, a great quantity of the carapeteira or llccino, 

 with other oily plants, as the Mandovo, &c. 



