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lands has been so much as marked by the foot of a Christian Minister; and in vain does the eye, even at this moment, roam over the vast and numerous territories, into which the whole coast, from Umzimvoobu to Mozambique, is divided, in search of a single pious or spiritual instructor! A view of the map now before me is truly chilling! At all its ports we hear of wars, of trade, of gold dust, of ivory, and of slaves; but not a word about the perishing condition of its innumerable inhabitants. At Rio de Senna indeed, the Portuguese colony, lying between 15° and 20° South lat., and from 27° to 37' East of London, there are a number of Dominican Friars, who, as observed by the late Governor Terao,* ought to teach evangelical morality to the whites;" (blacks have neither part nor lot in the matter ;) "since for that end were they appointed to their parishes:" but if even their profound ignorance was not a sufficient bar to the performance of their duties, little or no benefit could be derived from the instruction of persons of depraved and infamous habits, who make a mere commercial speculation of their ministry. At present there is not a single establishment for the instruction of youth, nor are there any funds which are so applied hence it follows that the children of each family are imperfectly instructed at home, no persons being found at all capable of undertaking such a charge, however willing parents might be to- remunerate them. In 1805, the inhabitants of Tette (one of the principal towns of the settlement) made choice of a poor unbeneficed Priest, as a fit person to instruct their children in reading, writing, and the Christian doctrines. The other

* This gentleman was Governor of the Captaincy, and a young man of considerable promise; but, shortly after writing an account of the settlement in 1820, he was stabbed by one of his own officers. The Portuguese manuscript was obtained by Captain Owen, of His Majesty's ship Leven, while surveying the South East coast, a year or two afterwards.-Ibid., p. 49.

Friars, however, used all their power and intrigue to get him removed to Senna, where he now is in utter idleness, and without any employment whatever: this they did from pure malignity, proving themselves to be bitter enemies to the public welfare. These forced celibats throw every obstacle in the way of matrimony, even in the marriages of the poorest people, for the sole purpose of extorting money, in every possible manner, however indecent, unjust, and tyrannical. This will account for their debauchery and immorality; many living in a state of open and public concubinage, rather than pay the exorbitant fees imposed upon the marriage rites.

All the inhabitants of Rio de Senna live by the interior commerce, and the fruits cultivated on their lands by the natives. The mercantile transactions are carried on entirely by slaves belonging to the inhabitants, who have acquired a knowledge of the country, and are called Massambazes. These go forth every year, attended by other slaves, as carriers of goods proper for the trade, and in due time return with gold, ivory, and slaves. Besides this commerce, many keep a number of slaves employed at the mines in the interior districts of Quitove, Manica,* Mazezurus, Abatiri, Zemba, Maxongo, and Mano, which yield them gold at a trifling expense. The indolent and inactive lord, (senhor,) whose business requires neither a speculation, nor even a combination of ideas, passes his days either in sleeping, smoking, or drinking tea; or if by any chance he should sally forth from his house, it is at sun-rise, when he presents a ridiculous spectacle of fastidious state and indolent stupidity, being swung in a hammock, (machila,) which is carried by four miserable slaves. Of these poor creatures, some of the senhor's possess from six hundred to a thousand; and can easily

* In this district the Maneiss or King George's River is said to take its rise amongst the mountains, between Sofala and Inham..

ban.

augment the number to any amount, being always able, in the course of two or three months, to obtain as many hundreds !

"The commercial affairs of this part of Africa extend over an immense territory, whose length from north to south is about three hundred and fifty leagues, from Cuzembe to Manica; and two hundred leagues from east to west, from Quillimane to Zumbo. But as the merchants send their goods far beyond these places, we may safely add fifty leagues to the above dimensions; which will make the mercantile transactions of the Rio de Senna extend over a space of 87,500 square leagues. The bare recollection that the whole of this ground is, and long has been, regularly traversed by slave-dealers, is quite enough to make one shudder, and ought to act as a stimulus to hearty co-operation in every plan which has for its object the total abolition of this nefarious source of gain. Slaves are amongst the principal and staple commodities: If,' says Terao, 'we except the gold, ivory, and slaves, all the other exports are of little value!'

"Throughout the Captaincy, interior navigation might be established on a larger scale than in any other part of Africa; the chief part of America, indeed, falls short of it in this respect. The Zambeza might be rendered navigable throughout the year as far as nine hundred miles above Quillimáne into the interior of Zumbo, if two obstacles were removed: the first of which is, some rocks impeding the navigation at a place called Cabrabaca, between Chicova and Tette, where boats can never pass. The second might be easily removed, as it only impedes the navigation six months in the year. The Zambeza divides into two branches, about thirty leagues above Quillimane, the left branch of which passes the town, and is only navigable in the winter season, on account of the sands which collect at the point of separation. The waters of the river in the other season pass down the right

arm, and discharge themselves into the sea at the bar of Ohrida. By opening a canal, half a league in length, the left branch might be pursued at all seasons of the year, with great facility. Notwithstanding this difficulty, the navigation is made (although laboriously) by means of a canal which communicates with another branch of the river, and affords a passage to numerous small craft, assisted by the tide-waters, which communicate from without through the medium of the before-mentioned canal, called Rio Maindo. Inferior rivers fall into the Zambeza, and water the land of the interior, thus affording great facilities to the inland commerce. Such is the Ravuga, which rises to the northward of the Zambeza, in the Marave's country, and falls into it half a league below Tette; the Aroanha, which, passing through Monopotapa, joins the Zambeza on its right bank between Tette, and the pass of Laputa; and the Cline, a large stream, whose source we are as yet ignorant of, which, after passing through the territory of the Marave Kaffers, (the chief manufacturers of all the hoes used in the Captaincy of Senna, as well as at Mozambique, Inhamban, &c. &c.,) forms a junction with the Zambeza, near Senna.” *

* South African Quarterly Journal, 1830, pp. 61,

62.

CHAPTER XVII.

Changes effected by the Introduction of Christianity—Plough at Work on every Station—Sorcerers constrained to flee— Translations in Progress—Missionary Meeting at Wesleyville-General Increase of Knowledge-Happy Results— Population of Albany-Improved Administration of Justice —Agriculture-Climate-Productions—Gryllivori, or Løcust Birds-Commerce-Kaffer Trade: Its Commencement; Progress; Importance-Albany Exports-Graham'sTown Market-Places of Worship-Schools—Infant Schools-Salem Academy-Missionary Spirit and Effort.

On our return to the colony, reflection led me, while passing along, to remark on the change that is manifest in all places where the Gospel has been established. A mere traveller, or stranger, visiting these parts, might perhaps be ready, from general appearances, to conclude that little or nothing had been effected; that, because he found not villages in complete European style, communities of well-dressed persons, and houses furnished according to his own views and taste, no change whatever had been wrought. But a contrast of the present with the past furnishes satisfactory and abundant evidence to the contrary: the simple testimony of the native himself will fully show that much has been done; that the condition of the female sex has even already been ameliorated; that the state of society is considerably improved; and that the doctrines of divine truth are gradually expelling, from their darkened understandings, the delusive phantoms of sorcery and witchcraft, &c.

Although numbers of soothsayers, wizards, and sor ceresses, dwelt in the immediate neighbourhood of almost