72 
MOSAMBIQUE. 
There exists at present only the mere shadow of its former 
splendour, which without difficulty may be traced to the weak and 
disturbed state of the mother-country, the loss and decline of her 
eastern possessions, and the impolitic manner in which the Settle- 
ment itself has for a long time been governed:* the two first causes 
having most materially affected its trade and relative value ; and 
the last having degraded its consequence, broken its connections 
with the neighbouring tribes, and reduced it to a state scarcely 
capable of resisting the attacks of the undisciplined barbarians in 
its neighbourhood. A cursory review of the government, its 
population, internal and external connections, will clearly eluci- 
date this statement. 
The Governor of Mosambique is assisted in his office by a 
council, consisting of the Bishop, the Minister, (as he is here 
termed) and the Commandant of the troops. The regular salaries 
of all these persons, and their subordinate officers are inconceiva- 
bly small. The Governor receives 12,000 real crusades only, or 
about ^750. sterling :t the Bishop 1500; the surgeon-general 
960 ; a captain 720, and a lieutenant 300, or the pitiful allow^ 
ance of £18. ds, per annum. One simple fact will shew the perfect 
* Mr. Brougham, in his Colonial Policy, very correctly observes, that the treasure 
and blood of the metropolis was wasted in wars with the native powers, and the rela- 
" tions of commerce were on every occasion postponed for those of conquest and dominion. 
The consequences of these circumstances have been fatal to the Portuguese dominions 
in the East.'' (Vol. I. p. 466). 
f Though I received the account of the above salaries from the best authority, I could 
not help doubting their accuracy, until I met with a confirmation of them in an official 
document before referred to, in which it appears that the Governor's salary was in 1584 
only ;^261. 55. and a soldier's pay in this fortress about^7' 105. per annum. At thistim^ 
the government of Mosambique was already separated from that of India, 
