APPENDIX. 209 
The soil coastwise is generally sandy, but capable of 
raising most luxuriant crops of millet and maize: proceed- 
ing inland, it assumes a reddish hue and loamy stiffness, 
changing as it recedes to a black and deep mould, until, 
at the end of the base of the mountains, it becomes gravelly 
and stony. The country is covered at intervals by forests 
of considerable extent, but which are difficult to explore, 
from the impervious nature of the underwood. ‘Trees of 
large size are rare about the port itself, although the smaller 
kinds are most plentiful. At the distance of fifty miles, 
however, are extensive woods, containing trees of the 
largest dimensions; and in the Impensewan or Ingale 
Mountains, are inexhaustible supplies of ship and other 
timber easily transportable to the harbour. 
The native inhabitants of this place are, at piedadii the 
wretched and scattered remains of that once populous tribe 
described by Captain Woodes Rogers, and other naviga- 
tors in the seventeenth century, as remarkable for their 
Arcadian felicity, their innocence of manners, and humanity 
to strangers. By the ambitious policy of the late Zoola 
Chieftain, they have been dwindled down into a small 
number of fugitives, finding a precarious existence from the 
indigenous and wild produce of the field. 
Besides these people, there is a considerable number of 
Europeans from the Colony, settled round the port for the 
purpose of trade; but of late a want of confidence in the 
Zoola ruler, Dingaan, and of unanimity among them- 
selves, arising out of a petty and misplaced jealousy of each 
other’s success, has brought this flourishing settlement into 
a very low condition, and, if not soon supported by the 
arm of a recognized government, it must be altogether 
abandoned. 
Does the fabled “ Lotus” grow in this portion of Africa, 
VOL. II. P 
