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SECTION VI. 

 EAST COAST OF AFRICA. 



Natal.- —The Rio d'Infanta, or Great Fish River, bounds the coast 

 of Natal to the S. The only place frequented by Europeans is 



PORT NATAL, in latitude 29° 56 S., longitude about 3P 30' E. ; 

 the coast generally high. The river is wide at its entrance, but fit only 

 for small vessels. The bar is very dangerous, having only 5 feet at low 

 water. The sea rises but 5 feet more, except in September and October, 

 when at high water 12 feet are found. The course on the bar is to the 

 S. W., the swell being very great ; but as it is very narrow, two or three 

 seas will carry over, and then the water deepens to 3, 4, and 5 fathoms. 

 About a mile within the river, over against a piece of barren ground at the 

 declivity of a hill, there is anchorage in 4 fathoms, at a cable's length from 

 the shore. It is best to moor with hawsers to the rocks on shore. 



Trade. — The little traffic is with the Portuguese from Mozambique. 

 The natives appear inoffensive, but generally go armed with lances, bows, 

 and arrows. 



Provisions and Refreshments. — The bullocks are large and good, 

 and poultry plentiful, exchanged for buttons, iron hoops, Sac. The river 

 abounds with fish, and turtle is found. 



DELAGOA BAY, Bay of Lorenzo Marques, or Bay of the Holy 

 Ghost, is 7 leagues broad from E. to W., and nearly 20 deep from N. to S.; 

 but the channel, on account of the shoals, is not more than 5 miles broad. 

 The N. point, or Cape St Mary's, the N. E- point of the island so named, 

 separated by a narrow rocky channel, is in latitude 25° 58' S., longitude 

 33 J 15 E. The chief rivers in the bay are Manica, Delagoa, or English 

 River, and Machavanna. The first and northernmost is choked with mud 

 at its entrance. The second, the only one frequented by English vessels, 

 has a bar, with about 15 feet on it at low water. The third and southern- 

 most is about 8 leagues from Delagoa River, and not navigable for ships ; 

 but boats drawing only 6 feet, can go 30 leagues above its entrance, where 

 the traffic is carried on. Delagoa River is much frequented by South Sea 

 whalers, as the bay abounds with whales, and is very safe and commodious. 

 It is navigable by vessels drawing 12 feet water, for 40 miles. Ships com- 



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