SOCIAL CONDITION OF AFRICA 227 



seventeenth century, the imam of Mascat, a powerful Ara- 

 bian prince, drove them out of MeUnda and Quiloa. Their 

 possessions are now confined to Mozambique and Sofala, 

 and are maintained even there on a very reduced scale. The 

 former of these stations, when visited by Mr. Salt in 1808, 

 was found to contain less than 3000 inhabitants, of whom 

 only 500 were Portuguese ; and the fortifications were in 

 so neglected a state, that an Arabian chief assured the tra- 

 veller that with 100 stout followers he could drive the sub- 

 jects of Portugal out of this capital of Eastern Africa. 

 Yet the government-house, in its interior arrangements, still 

 exhibits some remains of the ancient splendour of the vice- 

 roys. The entertainment of tea, which is open every eve- 

 ning to all the respectable inhabitants, is set out in a service 

 of pure gold ; and the negroes in attendance are absolutely 

 loaded with ornaments of that metal. Mozambique has 

 still a pretty considerable commerce in gold, ivory, and 

 slaves, brought down from the regions of the Upper Zam- 

 bese. These captives, since Britain shut against them the 

 markets of the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius, have 

 been, to the number of about 4000 in the year, sent chieflv 

 to Brazil. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



On the Social Condition of Africa. 



Having commenced this work by' a general survey of 

 Africa as it came from Nature's hand, we shall conclude 

 with taking a rapid sketch of the changes made by man,— 

 the societies formed on its immense surface ; its arts, its in- 

 dustry, its social and moral existence ; noticing, finally, the 

 few attempts which Britain has made to establish colonies 

 on that continent. 



A grand distinction must here be made between the na- 

 tive inhabitants of AfHca and the foreign races from Arabia 

 and other Asiatic countries, by whom so large a portion of 

 its surface has been occupied. This distinction we shall 



