THE PORTUGUESE POSSESSIONS ON THE EAST COAST, WITHIN SOUTH CENTRAL
AFRICA.
The earliest records we have of this coast-line is from the Portuguese,
who first sailed round the Cape to the north, as far as the Mozambique
coast, in 1497, under Vasco de Gama. In 1508 they visited the coast
again and conquered Sofala, and soon after Quilimane, Inhambane, and
Delagoa Bay, where they built a fort at Lorenzo Marques in the inner
harbour, and took possession of the coast northwards, including the
mouth of the Zambese and both banks of that river beyond Tette, where
they formed a town, claiming the country far in, up the river and along
the coast, but at the present time they have no jurisdiction over it,
beyond a few miles of the coast, the natives not allowing any
interference with their rights beyond the reach of their guns at the
forts.
Up to 1875 the Portuguese only held the northern portion of Delagoa Bay,
down as far south as the 26 degrees South latitude, and half of the
island of Inyack; the English Government disputing their claim to any
territory south of the 26 degrees, and the southern portion of Inyack
was held by the British Government. Much correspondence passed between
the two Governments, when it was referred to arbitration, and Marshal
MacMahon, then President of the French Republic, decided in July, 1875,
that the Portuguese had a right to the country down to 26 degrees 30
minutes South latitude, which included the whole of the bay and island
of Inyack--to the exclusion of British interests. The boundary then
laid down as the southern limit of Portugal should follow that latitude
up to the Lobombo mountain, which borders on Swaziland, an independent
chief.
Following the mountain north to the middle of the lower part of the
Comatie river, where it flows through that mountain, from thence in a
north-east direction to Pokionies Kap, on the north side of the Olifant
river, where it passes through the mountain north-west by north, to the
nearest point of the Stricundo mountain, on the Umzim Voobo river, then
in a straight line north to the junction of the Pafarie river with the
Limpopo. All on the west of this line is the Transvaal boundary. This
is the boundary on paper and maps, but the Portuguese have no more
jurisdiction over the country north of 25 degrees between the sea and
the Transvaal boundary, than they have over Umzela's territory, with the
exception of a small portion along the coast to the Zambese river, and
up that river to Tette. The Barpeda tribes, east of the Transvaal, are
divided into many classes, ruled over by independent chiefs.
The country at the back of Delagoa Bay is a flat unhealthy country for
forty miles inland, when it begins to rise, until the summit of the
Lobombo mountain is reached. The river Lorenzo Marques, which enters
the inner harbour at Delagoa Bay, is navigable for small craft for forty
miles up. The region to the north of that harbour, through which the
lower portion of the river Limpopo passes, is a low flat country, full
of bush, and most unhealthy. The tsetse-fly swarms. Large game is
plentiful over all this region. The southern portion is called Gasa;
the northern, Umhlenga--already described. The entrance of the Limpopo
river is in 25 degrees 17 minutes South latitude, and about three miles
broad, which it continues to be up to the junction of the Olifant river,
gradually narrowing towards the north. It is full of hippopotami and
alligators that grow to an enormous size, and several kinds of fish.
Lorenzo Marques is the capital of the Portuguese possessions in East
Africa; for some distance along the coast it is a dirty unhealthy place.
The fort mounts a few old guns, and is the governor's residence.
Several stores are kept by Portuguese natives and one or two English.
The inner harbour, upon which the town is built on the north bank, is
picturesque. Tropical trees of many varieties grow: cocoa-nuts, palms,
bananas, lemons, oranges, beside vegetables; but the inhabitants are a
lazy set of people, and the town or country will never improve under its
present Government.
The islands of Imyack and Elephant command the entrance of the outer
bay, and the islands at the mouth of the Uncomasi or King George's
river, Krocodil, and Sabia, that rise in the Transvaal south of
Lydenburg, which has never been thoroughly explored. The coast-line
from Delagoa Bay to Inhambane is likewise little-known, as also between
that port and Sofala, and north to the Zambese river. The principal
towns in the Portuguese possessions on the east coast are Lorenzo
Marques, Inhambane, Sofala, and the two small river towns up the
Zambese, Senna and Tette. Steamers occasionally touch at all the coast
towns named, on their way to Zanzibar from Natal.
Quilimane is situated on the north of the Zambese river, upon one of its
branches, where a Portuguese governor resides for that district.
Another Sabia flows into the ocean near Sofala.