NATIONALITIES. 7 



The soldiers, numbering about seventy or 

 eighty, are usually Goanese, Inhambane and 

 Quillimane Kafirs, and a few Loan da negroes, 

 mostly commanded by Portuguese officers. At 

 present there is no regular police staff, but some 

 of the soldiers are told off for the duty, and more 

 than once a rumour has reached me that they 

 are not infrequently mixed up in some of the 

 robberies that occur ; or, at any rate, are con- 

 veniently out of the way at the time. I was 

 also told, on good authority, that some of the 

 sentries were armed with most wonderful old 

 guns, which they did not in the least know how 

 to load or fire off. The pay of the common 

 soldiers is very scanty ; they are entitled to 

 receive 220 reis a-day a little less than a shil- 

 ling ; but many deductions are made for food, 

 clothing, &c., and for pen and ink for the ser- 

 geant ! so that they only receive not quite 

 threepence a day for their services. They are 

 a miserable-looking set of men, and are con- 

 stantly in hospital. Of course, they get drunk 

 on every opportunity, and when I visit the 



