710 CAPTAIN HYDE PARKER ON THE 



England I applied to Captain Washington, Hydrographer to the 

 Admiralty, and he promptly furnished the document for publica- 

 tion by the Royal Geographical Society. 



The river between Mazaro and the sea must therefore be judged 

 of from the testimony of one more competent to decide on its merits 

 than a mere landsman like myself. 



On the Quilimane and Zambesi Rivers. From the Journal of 

 the late Capt. Hyde Parker, R.N., H.M. Brig "Pantaloon." 



"The Luabo is the main outlet of the Great Zambesi. In 

 the rainy season — January and February principally — the whole 

 country is overflowed, and the water escapes by the different 

 rivers as far up as Quilimane ; but in the dry season neither 

 Quilimane nor Olinda communicates with it. The position of 

 the river is rather incorrect in the Admiralty chart, being six 

 miles too much to the southward, and also considerably to the 

 westward. Indeed, the coast from here up to Tongamiara seems 

 too far to the westward. The entrance to the Luabo River is 

 about two miles broad, and is easily distinguishable, when abreast 

 of it, by a bluff (if I may so term it) of high, straight trees, very 

 close together, on the western side of the entrance. The bar may 

 be said to be formed by two series of sand-banks ; that running 

 from the eastern point runs diagonally across (opposite ?) the en- 

 trance and nearly across it. Its western extremity is about two 

 miles outside the west point. 



" The bank running out from the west point projects to the 

 southward three miles and a half, passing not one quarter of a 

 mile from the eastern or cross bank. This narrow passage is the 

 bar passage. It breaks completely across at low water, except 

 under very extraordinary circumstances. At this time — low water 

 — a great portion of the banks are uncovered ; in some places they 

 are seven or eight feet above water. 



" On these banks there is a break at all times, but in fine 

 weather, at high water, a boat may cross near the east point. 

 There is very little water, and, in places, a nasty race and bub- 

 ble, so that caution is requisite. The best directions for going in 

 over the regular bar passage, according to my experience, are as 

 follows : Steer down well to the eastward of the bar passage, 

 so as to avoid the outer part of the western shoals, on which 



