42 MOZAMBIQUE 



streams, the bulk of the population lives. West 

 and north of this is waterless forest possessing 

 no attractions for the native or the European 

 settler, though some for the rubber concessioner. 

 The formation of this fertile strip is maritime, 

 and consists of sand-dunes separated by lakes, 

 streams, or dry valleys where black alluvium, 

 known locally as mashonga, accumulates. This 

 mashonga is sometimes a mixture of clay and 

 loam or clay and humus, at others almost pure 

 grey clay, and less frequently humus alone to 

 a depth of a foot or more. Excepting where 

 there is an excess of humus rendering the land 

 sour, the mashonga is good sugar land, but it is 

 restricted in area to narrow strips bordering 

 the streams or lake shores. Inhambane can, 

 therefore, never become a great sugar-producing 

 district. It must seek crops suitable to its light 

 sandy' formation, which is the characteristic and 

 by far the most prevailing type of soil. This 

 sandy soil varies considerably, and for a proper 

 appreciation of its value it is necessary to dis- 

 tinguish very clearly between the classes, as I 

 observed considerable variation in the vigour of 

 crops growing upon them. There is, first, the 

 white, almost pure, sand, which is not infre- 

 quently met with at the east side of the bay 

 and across the Burra Point peninsula. This is 



