E. Coast of Africa. ] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



37 



not enter without a pilot Dangerous shoals lay to the S. of Sofala. A 

 Portuguese Resident is stationed here ; and some merchants procure ivory, 

 gold dust, &c. for the ship annually from Mozambique. 



Trade. — The gold procured in the neighbourhood is considerable. 

 The Arabs trade with this part of the coast. Wherever the Portuguese have 

 Residents, a guard is placed on board a vessel, to prevent illicit traffic ; but, 

 by favour of the Commandant, trade may be carried on at most of those 

 places : they are all subordinate to Mozambique. 



Care should be used in communicating with the natives on the less 

 frequented parts of the East Coast of Africa : the acts of slave-dealers have 

 prejudiced them against Europeans. 



Provisions and Refreshments — Bullocks and poultry may be had of 

 the natives cheap ; but the Portuguese charge dearer for supplies. Fruit, 

 vegetables, and fish are plentiful. 



GREAT CUAMA RIVER, called by the natives Zambize, is in 

 many places more than a league broad, and divided, about 20 leagues from 

 its mouth, into two branches, the S. of which is called Lacabo, also divided 

 into two ; the other is called Quilimane. The entrance of the former is 

 in about W S. latitude; that of the latter in 18° 10 S., longitude 37° 

 30 E. 



QUILIMANE. — This town is on the N. side of the river, about 5 

 leagues from its mouth, which has a bar, with 2 \ fathoms on it at low 

 water. Mozambique-vessels here discharge their cargoes into small boats 

 for Sena, the principal settlement, 60 leagues distant, in latitude 17° 37 S., 

 where large quantities of gold, (of 10 carats only), ivory, wax, rhinoceros' 

 horns, and hides, are annually procured. The Africans, from great distance 

 in the interior, come hither to purchase European anil Indian goods for 

 gold, which is very plentiful. 



MOZAMBIQUE. This island, in latitude 15* 1 S., longitude about 

 40 3 4(5' E., is the chief settlement of the Portuguese on this coast. The 

 harbour is good, formed by the Islands of St Jago and St. George, to the 

 S. of its entrance, and that of Mozambique, about 3 miles to the N. W. 

 of the others. Mozambique is small, about 3 miles in circumference, to 

 the W. of which is the harbour. Ships generally anchor within St. George^s 

 Island, and wait for a pilot to carry them to the proper anchorage. The 

 town is strongly fortified. Many of the houses are well built, but most are 

 huts. Within the fort is a large cistern for water, which is scarce. 



Trade. — This has long been the emporium of the Portuguese slave- 

 trade. Their vessels generally stop here in their voyages to and from 

 India, with which a considerable traffic is carried on in vessels under Por- 

 tuguese colours, or Anglo-Indian ships. The Portuguese put a guard on 



