620 BOAT-BUILDING. 



by their ancestors ; and there is, according to the Portu- 

 guese, a small tribe of Arabs there, who have become 

 completely like the other natives. Two rivers, the 

 Motirikwe and Sabia, or Sabe, run through their country 

 into the sea. The Portuguese were driven out of the 

 country by the Landeens, but now talk of re-occupying 

 Manica. 



The most pleasant sight I witnessed at Senna was the 

 negroes of Senhor Isidore building boats, after the Euro- 

 pean model, without any one to superintend their opera- 

 tions. They had been instructed by a European master, 

 but now go into the forest and cut down the motondo- 

 trees, lay down the keel, fit in the ribs, and make very 

 neat boats and launches, valued at from £20 to ^100. 

 Senhor Isidore had some of them instructed also in car- 

 pentry at Rio Janeiro, and they constructed for him the 

 handsomest house in Kilimane, the woodwork being all 

 of country trees, some of which are capable of a fine polish, 

 and very durable. A medical opinion having been asked 

 by the Commandant respecting a better site for the 

 village, which, lying on the low bank of the Zambesi, is 

 very unhealthy, I recommended imitation of the Jesuits, 

 who had chosen the high healthy mountain of Gorongozo, 

 and to select a new site on Morumbala, which is perfectly 

 healthy, well watered, and where the Shire is deep enough 

 for the purpose of navigation at its base. As the next 

 resource, I proposed removal to the harbour of Mitilone, 

 which is at one of the mouths of the Zambesi, a much better 

 port than Kilimane, and where, if they must have the 

 fever, they would be in the way of doing more good to 

 themselves and the country than they can do in their 

 present situation. Had the Portuguese possessed this 

 territory as a real colony, this important point would not 

 have been left unoccupied ; as it is, there is not even a 

 native village placed at the entrance of this splendid 

 river to show the way in. 



On the qth of May sixteen of my men were employed 

 to carry government goods in canoes up to Tete. They 

 were much pleased at getting this work. On the nth the 

 whole of the inhabitants of Senna, with the Commandant, 

 accompanied us to the boats. A venerable old man, son 

 of a judge, said they were in much sorrow on account of 

 the miserable state of decay into which they had sunk, 

 and of the insolent conduct of the people of Kisaka, now 



