THE DELTA 51 



ward side, an immense foaming torrent goes 

 thundering seaward, and, for aught we know to 

 the contrary, may be now delving out the bed of 

 some unknown, unsuspected, and unnamed river.* 

 It is attractive as a theory, but only a theory of 

 course. 



A few words about the delta. As it nears the coast, 

 the Zambezi branches out into six or seven mouths, 

 which, in order from north to south, are called 

 the Chinde, Caterina, East Luabo, Inyamissengo (or 

 Kongoni), Milambe, and West Luabo. In addition 

 to these, there are one or two small outlets, which 

 are, I think, properly speaking, branches of the 

 main channels. For many years past the Chinde 

 mouth has been used by small steamers which 

 formerly landed their passengers and cargo either 

 by the Inyamissengo entrance, or else took them 

 on to Quelimane fifty miles to the northward. 

 Thence, wayfarers for the upper waters of the 

 Zambezi and Lake Nyasa journeyed in comfortless 

 house-boats up the Qua-qua River,! upon which 

 the town of Quelimane stands, to a point on the 

 Zambezi at Mopea which the Qua-qua approaches, 

 and with which I understand it communicates in 

 the rainy season, and may thus, perhaps, have 

 some claim to be regarded as the eighth channel 

 of the delta. In the course of time, however, the 

 Chinde entrance, having come to be regarded as 

 the least liable to variation, was definitely selected 

 by shippers as the port of entry to the Zambezi, 

 and in due time a small settlement sprang up 



* Lake Nyasa is nearly 1,600 ft. above sea-level. 

 t Tte ancient ''River of Good Signs." 



