668 THE QUILIMANE AND ZAMBESI : Chap. XXXII. 



rise of the river must be very nearly 30 feet, and the volume of 

 water discharged 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 consi- 

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

 They are reported to contain great mineral wealth ; gold and 

 copper being found in the range, as also coal (?). The natives 

 (Landeens) are a bold, independent race, who do not acknow- 

 ledge the Portuguese authority, and even make them pay for 

 leave to pass unmolested. Throughout the whole course of the 

 river, hippopotami 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, despatch 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 numerous, 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 Lieutenant A. H. Hoskins, who was on the coast at the same 

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

 for Iris 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 



