THE QUIUMANB AND ZAMBESI. 623 



On the Quilimane and Zambesi Rivers. From the Journal 

 of the late Capt. Hyde Parker, R.N., H.M. Brig 

 " Pantaloon. 5 ' 

 " The Iytiabo is the main outlet of the Great Zambesi. 

 In the rainy season — January and February principally 

 — the whole country is overflowed, and the water escapes 

 by the different rivers as far up as Quilimane ; but in the 

 dry season neither Quilimane nor Olinda communicates 

 with it. The position of the river is rather incorrect in 

 the Admiralty chart, being six miles too much to the 

 southward and also considerably to the westward. In- 

 deed, the coast from here up to Tongamiara seems too 

 far to the westward. The entrance to the L,uabo river 

 is about two miles broad, and is easily distinguishable, 

 when abreast of it, by a bluff (if I may so term it) of 

 high straight trees, very close together, on the western 

 side of the entrance. The bar may be said to be formed 

 by two series of sandbanks, — that running from the 

 eastern point runs diagonally across (opposite ?) the 

 entrance and nearly across it. Its western extremity is 

 about two miles outside the west point. 



" The bank running out from the west point projects 

 to the southward three miles and a half, passing not one 

 quarter of a mile from the eastern or cross bank. This 

 narrow passage is the bar passage. It breaks completely 

 across at low water, except under very extraordinary 

 circumstances. At this time — low water — a great portion 

 of the banks are uncovered ; in some places they are seven 

 or eight feet above water. 



" On these banks there is a break at all times, but m. 

 fine weather, at high water, a boat may cross near the 

 east point. There is very little water, and, in places, a 

 nasty race and bubble, so that caution is requisite. The 

 best directions for going in over the regular bar passage, 

 according to my experience, are as follows : — Steer down 

 well to the eastward of the bar passage, so as to avoid the 

 outer part of the western shoals, on which there is usually 

 a bad sea. When you get near the cross-bar, keep along it 

 till the bluff of trees on the west side of the entrance 

 bears N.B. ; you may then steer straight for it. This will 

 clear the end of the cross-bar, and, directly you are within 

 that, the water is smooth. The worst sea is generally 

 just without the bar passage. 



" Within the points the river widens at first and then 



