82 
MOSAMBIQUE. 
tlemen, shoes and boots, waistcoat-pieces of dilFerent patterns^ 
light plain muslins, blue cloth, coarse and fine, a few telescopes^ 
some salt butter, hams and cheese, and in short a little of every 
article necessary for comfort in use among the Portuguese. 
The price of goods for exportation appeared to be very exorbi- 
tant. The merchants demanded for their ivory from twenty-six to 
thirty-two dollars the arob, which on a rough calculation made the 
price of the first quality amount to^24. and the second to ^21. 155. 
per hundred. Columbo root was four dollars per cwt. and gold 
dust about £3. bs. the ounce avoirdupois. A considerable number of 
an Arabian breed of asses is reared at Mosambique for exportation, 
which thrives remarkably well ; these animals are generally sent 
as presents to the Brazils, but when sold they fetch a high price. 
The exchange at Mosambique is chiefly regulated by the 
cuiTent value of the Spanish dollar, which fluctuates from three 
to four per cent, according to the state of the markets. 
The articles required by our ships were found in abundance, 
and to be bought at a moderate rate: bullocks, in good order, 
were to be had for fifteen or twenty dollars ; pigs for eight dollars 
the arob ; goats for five dollars each, and fowls at the low price 
of one dollar the dozen. A number of Guinea fowls were also 
brought to the ship for sale, and they proved excellent stock. 
Three species of this bird are common at Mosambique; the 
Numida meleagris, mitrata, and cristata ; the last is a most 
beautiful bird, being more variegated in the plumage than the 
others, an«l having a black crest of feathers on its head, from 
which it derives its specific name. Sheep appeared to be scarce, 
and were charged ten and fifteen dollars each. Water wa^s 
