INHAMBANE. 271 



and the huts are higher and better built than 

 any to be seen elsewhere. The country yields 

 abundance of cocoa-nuts, mandioc, sweet potatoes, 

 Indian corn, and other native produce, the plan- 

 tations extending for miles around, and amongst 

 the many fruit-trees and palms the native huts 

 are prettily dotted. 



" After three hours' stay we again steamed 

 away, and landed at Lourenyo Marques at mid- 

 night of the 1 8th April. 



" It would take too long to enter into the 

 consideration of the principal points that suggest 

 themselves even on a hurried visit like the one 

 I have described, but it may be stated con- 

 clusively that the whole Portuguese possession 

 of Mozambique is unrivalled as a new field for 

 commerce and industry, but at the same time 

 its value is reduced to practically almost nothing 

 from the total want of protection to property 

 and capital by the Portuguese Government, the 

 nominal holders of the country. 



" Nothing can exceed the kindness and civility 

 of the Portuguese everywhere on the East Coast, 



