QUILIMANE AND ZAMBESI. 713 



river must be very nearly 30 feet, and the volume of water dis- 

 charged by it (the Zambesi) enormous. 



"Above Maruru the country begins to become more hilly, and 

 the high mountains of Boruru are in sight; the first view of 

 these is obtained below Nyangue, and they must be of considera- 

 ble height, as from this they are distant above 40 miles. They 

 are reported to contain great mineral wealth ; gold and copper be- 

 ing found in the range, as also coal (?). The natives (Landeens) 

 are a bold, independent race, who do not acknowledge the Portu- 

 guese authority, and even make them pay for leave to pass un- 

 molested. Throughout the whole course of the river hippopota- 

 mi were very abundant, and at one village a chase by the natives 

 was witnessed. They harpoon the animal with a barbed lance, 

 to which is attached, by a cord 3 or 4 fathoms long, an inflated 

 bladder. The natives follow in their canoes, and look out to fix 

 more harpoons as the animal rises to blow, and, when exhausted, 

 dispatch him with their lances. It is, in fact, nearly similar to 

 a whale-hunt. Elephants and lions are also abundant on the 

 western side; the latter destroy many of the blacks annually, 

 and are much feared by them. Alligators are said to be numer- 

 ous, but I did not see any. 



" The voyage up to Maruru occupied seven days, as I did not 

 work the men at the oar, but it might be done in four ; we re- 

 turned to the bar in two and a half days. 



" There is another mouth of the Zambesi seven miles to the 

 westward of Luabo, which was visited by the ' Castor's pinnace ;' 

 and I was assured by Lieutenant Hoskins that the bar was better 

 than the one I visited." 



The conclusions of Captain Parker are strengthened by those 

 of Lieut. A. H. H. Hoskins, who was on the coast at the same 

 time, and also visited this spot. Having applied to my friend 

 for his deliberate opinion on the subject, he promptly furnished 

 the following note in January last : 



" The Zambesi appears to have five principal mouths, of which 

 the Luabo is the most southern and most navigable ; Cumana, 

 and two whose names I do not know, not having myself visited 

 it, lying between it and the Quilimane, and the rise and fall at 

 spring tides on the bar of the Luabo is 22 feet ; and as, in the 



