714 LIEUTENANT HOSKINS' REMARKS. 



passage, there is never less than four feet (I having crossed it at 

 dead low-water — springs), this would give an average depth suffi- 

 cient for any commercial purposes. The rise and fall is six feet 

 greater, the passages narrow and more defined, consequently deeper 

 and more easily found than that of the Quilimane River. The 

 river above the bar is very tortuous, but deep ; and it is observ- 

 able that the influence of the tide is felt much higher in this 

 branch than in the others ; for whereas in the Catrina and Cu- 

 mana I have obtained drinkable water a very short distance from 

 the mouth, in the Luabo I have ascended seventy miles without 

 finding the saltness perceptibly diminished. This would facilitate 

 navigation, and I have no hesitation in saying that little difficulty 

 would be experienced in conveying a steam-vessel of the size and 

 capabilities of the gunboat I lately commanded as high as the 

 branching off of the Quilimane River (Mazaro), which, in the dry 

 season, is observed many yards above the Luabo (main stream) ; 

 though I have been told by the Portuguese that the freshes which 

 come down in December and March fill it temporarily. These 

 freshes deepen the river considerably at that time of the year, and 

 freshen the water many miles from the coast. The population of 

 the delta, except in the immediate neighborhood of the Portu- 

 guese, appeared to be very sparse. Antelopes and hippopotami 

 were plentiful ; the former tame and easily shot. I inquired fre- 

 quently of both natives and Portuguese if slavers were in the 

 habit of entering there to ship their cargoes, but could not ascer- 

 tain that they have ever done so in any except the Quilimane. 

 With common precaution the rivers are not unhealthy ; for, dur- 

 ing the whole time I was employed in them (off and on during 

 eighteen months), in open boats and at all times of the year, fre- 

 quently absent from the ship for a month or six weeks at a time, 

 I had not, in my boat's crew of fourteen men, more than two, and 

 those mild, cases of fever. Too much importance can not be 

 ascribed to the use of quinine, to which I attribute our compara- 

 tive immunity, and with which our judicious commander, Commo- 

 dore Wyvill, kept us amply supplied. I hope these few remarks 

 may be of some little use in confirming your views of the utility 

 of that magnificent river. 



"A. H. H. Hoskins." 



