±12 AFRICAN IRON. Chap. XXXI. 



any other part, and which has been supposed by some to be 

 the Ophir of King Solomon. I saw the gold from this quarter 

 as large as grains of wheat; while that found in the rivers 

 which run into the coal-field was in very minute scales. The 

 inhabitants are not unfavourable to washings, but at present 

 they only wash when they are in want of a little calico. 

 They know the value of gold perfectly well, for they bring it 

 for sale in goose-quills, and demand twenty-four yards of 

 calico for one penful. When the rivers in the district of 

 Manica and other gold-washing places have been flooded, they 

 leave a coating of mud on the banks. The natives observe 

 the spots which dry soonest, and commence digging there, in 

 firm belief that gold lies beneath. They are said not to dig 

 deeper than their chins, fearing lest if they did so the ground 

 should fall in and bury them. When they find a piece or flake 

 of gold they bury it again, from the superstitious idea that 

 this is the seed of the gold, and, though they know the value of 

 it well, they prefer losing it rather than the whole future crop. 



Besides gold, there is iron in this district in abundance and 

 of excellent quality. In some places it is obtained from what 

 is called the specular iron-ore, in others from black oxide. 

 The latter has been well roasted in the operations of nature, 

 and contains a large proportion of metal. It occurs generally 

 in rounded lumps, and is but slightly magnetic. The natives 

 become aware of its existence in the beds of rivers by the 

 quantity of oxide on the surface, and they find no difficulty in 

 digging it with pointed sticks. They consider English iron as 

 " rotten ;" and I have seen a javelin of their own iron curled 

 up by a severe blow like the proboscis of a butterfly, and 

 afterwards straightened while cold with two stones. So far as 

 I could learn there is neither copper nor silver. Malachite is 

 worked by the people of Cazembe, but, as I did not see it, nor 

 any other metal, I can say nothing about it. A few precious 

 stones are met with, and some parts are quite covered with 

 agates. The mineralogy of the district, however, has not been 

 explored by any one competent to the task. 



The scenery of the country surrounding Tete is picturesque, 

 being hilly and well wooded. The soil of the valleys is very 

 fruitful and well cultivated. The plantations of coffee, how- 

 ever, are now deserted, and it is difficult to find a single tree. 



