106 THE GREAT COMPANIES 



with the immense areas controlled by the two 

 important associations we have just been consider- 

 ing, is almost insignificant. It includes practically 

 the whole of the delta of the Zambezi, and the 

 islands thereby created, and the southern bank 

 of the great river up to Marromeo, the scene of 

 activity of the great French Sugar Company which 

 I have already referred to — in all perhaps not 

 more than an inconsiderable two or three thousand 

 square miles of country. Founded in 1894, this 

 small but active body has done much within its 

 comparatively circumscribed area to develop its 

 holding, and has carried out many interesting and 

 instructive experiments, which it is hoped, and I 

 think with reason, may in the future indicate 

 avenues leading to considerable sources of profit. 

 It possesses flourishing coconut plantations, and 

 produces very considerable quantities of indi- 

 genous rubber, rice, ground-nuts, sesamum, mUlet, 

 and wax. For all of these, except of course the 

 rubber and wax, local markets are found at Queli- 

 mane and Chinde, the latter port enabling the 

 company, moreover, to realise quite an appreciable 

 revenue from the sale of wood for fuelling the 

 Zambezi steamers. Within the Tete district, the 

 Luabo Company also possesses an important and, 

 it is believed, highly mineralised prazo which has 

 given encouraging indications of the presence of 

 gold. This it is hoped to prospect thoroughly in 

 the near future, when we shall doubtless hear more 

 of it. 



Among the several not inconsiderable associa- 

 tions which are labouring to develop the eastern 



