16 



DECEPTION TO ENGLISH CRUISERS. 



Chap. I. 



When the river is in flood, a natural canal running parallel 

 with the coast, and winding very much among the swamps, 

 forms a secret way for conveying slaves from Quillimane to 

 the bays Massangano and Nameara, or to the Zambesi itself. 

 The Kwakwa, or river of Quillimane, some sixty miles distant 

 from the mouths of the Zambesi, has long been represented 

 as the principal entrance to the Zambesi, in order, as the 

 Portuguese now maintain, that the English cruisers might 

 be induced to watch the false mouth, while slaves were 

 quietly shipped from the true one ; and strange to say this 

 error has lately been propagated by a map issued by the 

 colonial minister of Portugal.* 



* Stranger still, the Portuguese of- 

 ficial paper, "Annaes do Conselho 

 Ultramariuho " for 1864 shamelessly 

 asserts that " in that harbour (Kon- 

 gone), which Dr. Livingstone says he 

 discovered, many vessels with slaves 

 have taken refuge from the persecu- 

 tions of English cruisers." This (shall 

 we admit?) was known to the Por- 

 tuguese Government! Would any 

 other gentleman in Europe construct 

 a map such as that mentioned in the 

 text, and send it to the English Go- 

 vernment as showing the true mouth 

 of the Zambesi ? We did not think of 

 printing the following letter from one 

 Portuguese official to another in Africa, 

 till we saw the poor swagger of the 

 Lisbon official paper, evidently in- 

 tended for other statesmen in Europe. 

 The editor of a Cape paper says — 



" Chevalier Duprat has, by the same 

 opportunity, received a communication 

 from the Portuguese governor of Tette, 

 of which the following is a translation : 



' Sir, — When in the middle of last 

 year, was delivered to me by the hands 

 of Dr. Livingstone, the letters with 



which your Excellency honoiued me, 

 under date of April of that same year, 

 I was at that moment involved in war 

 with the Kafirs of the district of Senna. 

 After this, other works, affairs and 

 ailing health, prevented me from im- 

 mediately addressing to your Excel- 

 lency my thanks for the kind expres- 

 sions with which I have been honoured 

 by you. Your Excellency recom- 

 mended to me the illustrious Dr. 

 Livingstone. My relations with this 

 gentleman are so sympathetic that I 

 can never omit rendering him the ser- 

 vices which he requires, and which are 

 within my reach. Still, my wishes 

 are subordinate to my powers, both 

 as an individual and as an authority. 

 I am aware how jn - ontable to geo- 

 graphical knowledge and science are 

 the explorations of the Doctor, as well 

 as to the prosperity of this country, — 

 as rich as neglected. I sincerely hope 

 it will be in my power to help him as 

 I could wish. Nevertheless, I assiue 

 your Excellency that I will serve him 

 as far as lies in my power. It is said 

 that our Government is about to es- 



