214 APPENDIX. 
The country south of the Mapoota, called Inyack, is 
under the authority of a very powerful native Chief, 
named Maccassanie, who, assisted and instigated by the 
Portuguese, keeps up a constant warfare with his neigh- 
bours of Tembe, situated on the north of the same stream. 
The king of this district was Myetta, who, in consequence 
of the insults and oppressions of the Portuguese, and the 
inroads of Maccassaine’s warriors, ceded his dominions to 
Great Britain, in the hope of protection, in March 1823, 
while his Majesty’s ship the Leven was in the bay: this 
act proved fatal to himself and his countrymen; for as soon 
as Commodore Owen, commanding that vessel, had left, he 
was again attacked himself, and many of his people put to 
death, and almost all the remainder sold into didibig at 
the instigation of the Portuguese—at the fort. 
The country from the Pongola to the English River, on- 
the northern side of which is situated the Portuguese fort, 
is low, sandy, and full of swamps, is covered with a stunted 
description of bush; and although the atmosphere is healthy 
for several months in the year, from the latter end of Octo- 
ber to April it is most deadly. The limits of this sickly 
region westward appear to be marked by a range of moun- 
tains of no very considerable height, called Bombo, which, 
originating in the Ingale, skirt the Pongola River, and run 
directly nearly to the sea, in a south-easterly direction, 
bounding the great valley of the Mapoota and Gold Downs 
River from the salubrious country on the south. Through- 
out this whole range, as has been already remarked, water 
is less plentiful than in the preceding divisions, and is — 
generally sought for in ponds, or in wells dug for the 
purpose. 
Some very beautiful lakes have been discovered on both 
sides of the Mapoota; and there is one said to exist near its 
ST es Se ae 
