626 HARPOONING HIPPOPOTAMI. 



the range, as also coal (?). The natives (I v andeens) are 

 a bold, independent race, who do not acknowledge 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 returned to the bar in two and a half days. 



" There is another mouth of the Zambesi, seven miles 

 to the westward of Iyuabo, 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 his 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 I^uabo is the most southern and most navig- 

 able ; 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 Iaiabo is 22 feet ; and as, in the passage, there 

 is NKVKR less than four feet (I having crossed it at dead 

 low- water — springs), this would give an average depth 

 sufficient for anycommercial purposes. The rise and fall 

 is six feet greater, the passages narrower and more denned, 

 consequently deeper and more easily found than that of 

 the Quilimane river. The river above the bar is very 

 tortuous, but deep ; and it is observable that the influence 

 of the tide is felt much higher in this branch than in the 



