

PREFACE. 



The claim that Portugal has made to the possession 

 of Gasa Land is preposterous : that it be deemed 

 the owner of Mashoona Land, is ridiculous. My 

 reasons for saying so are that, it has only two 

 ports along the sea-board of the first-mentioned, 

 beyond the limits of which it dare not go ; while 

 for permission to trade at Senna, Tete, and Zumbo, 

 stations on the Zambesi river, it annually paid to 

 the Suzerain of Mashoona Land — the Matabele 

 King — a large subsidy, which, if not forthcoming at 

 the stipulated date, was enforced by an army. 



Even under such unfavourable circumstances 

 these trading posts might have flourished, but for 

 the Portuguese being incorrigible slave-dealers, not 

 only preying upon the population in their vicinity for 

 compulsory domestic service, but yearly sending 

 thousands and thousands to Brazil, and such other 

 markets as could be found for the unfortunate 

 captives. Even at the present day, slavery exists 



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