Kingdom of Mocoranga—Kotba for the Soudan of Cairo—Sultan
of Kilwa—Kingdom of Algarves—Remains of Ancient
Cities—Inscriptions Not Deciphered—Zimboë Bruce—Sofala, the
Ancient Ophir—Productions—The Manica Gold Mines—Surrounding
Region Adapted for Europeans—Industry of the Natives—The
Priests Rob the Jewels from the Image of the Blessed Virgin.
Captain Gordon having satisfied himself that the “Zambesi” was a
Portuguese schooner of war—for from the number of negroes on board of
her, and the confusion of Ex-governor Leotti, there were serious doubts
entertained whether or not she were a slaver—we steamed away to the
northward, keeping a bright look-out for the “Minnetonka,” and other
slavers known to be on the coast.
Before proceeding further in a description of this interesting
coast-line, perhaps it would be as well to explain that on the first
arrival on this coast of the Portuguese discoverers, at the commencement
of the sixteenth century, they found existing in the interior a large
kingdom called Mocoranga, which reached to the coast, along which it
extended from the northern portion of Delagoa Bay to the mouths of the
river Zambesi, being bounded on the north by that river.
This kingdom was fast falling into decay, and appears to have been the
remains of a much greater one, which was partially destroyed or broken
up, at some remote period, by the invasion of a warlike people known as
the Lindens.
At the principal places along the coast the Portuguese found Arab
settlements established, which appeared to be under the dominion of a
Sultan at Kilwa, to whom they all looked up as their common local head,
while the Kotba, or prayer on Friday, was offered for the head of the
Arab family, who at that time was Kansu-el-Ghauri, Soudan of Cairo,
called also the Mamlook Sultan of Egypt.
The Sultan of Kilwa was immensely rich in consequence of the vast
quantity of gold which he obtained from his dependency of Sofala, which
from time immemorial had been the great gold field of the Hebrews and
Phœnicians, and even at that time yielded gold in great abundance.
In the course of a few years the Portuguese made themselves masters of
these Arab settlements, and thus the Portuguese kingdom of Algarves was
formed.
The enterprising Portuguese of those days, having obtained a footing on
the coast, soon pushed into the interior, for the purpose of discovering
the gold and silver mines of the country; and the natives, instructed by
the Arabs, did all in their power to baffle the enterprising Europeans.
During this struggle, the Portuguese made themselves acquainted with the
country, and formed settlements on the Zambesi, such as Seña, Tete, and
Zumbo, and indeed others, from some of which they were driven to the
coast by the natives.
These discoverers and conquerors learned that the kingdom of Mocoranga
was very powerful, and the neighbouring vast territory under the
Monomotapa more powerful still.
They heard of people who had formerly inhabited these countries, who
were far advanced in civilization. And from the west coast of Africa, at
the same time, the Portuguese priests were pushing into the interior, to
the centres of kingdoms in a state of semi-civilization, where they were
at first very successful in making proselytes to the Christian faith,
but from which they were eventually banished in consequence of their
endeavouring to get the government of those kingdoms into their own hands.
Besides the information thus obtained of the state of civilization then
and formerly in that vast continent, rumours reached them of the remains
of cities built of large blocks of well-hewn stone. Some of these cities
remain until this day, like those in the desert east of the Haurán, and
in the ancient land of Bashan, affording an interesting field for the
explorer, and bearing inscriptions which neither European nor Arab has
yet been able to decipher, but which may be of equal importance with the
Adite inscription engraven on the rock at Hishen Goreb.
Feeling deeply interested in this matter, during my residence at
Mozambique I did all in my power to obtain information about the Sofala
district, which resulted in the Governor-general of the province
publishing an official account of the mines known to the Portuguese in
that and the surrounding districts, which have been so much neglected by
the Portuguese residing there.
This account gives a long list of gold, silver, copper, and iron mines
which have been worked, but are now entirely neglected, as the country
is destitute of labour—the Portuguese having drained it to supply the
slave-trade of the Brazils, Cuba, and America. Previous to which, that
district was, as already stated, greatly depopulated by the invasion of
the Lindens. These mines still have attached to them the names of the
discoverers, and these names are supposed to be those of the kings who
reigned there when the mines were first opened.
In this report it is stated that 500 leagues from Seña there are the
remains of large edifices, which indicate that they were once inhabited,
but by whom is not known.[2] This confirms the statement of Barros, in
his description of the ruins of the city of Zimboë, who states that there
are the remains of a fort built of well cut stones, having a surface of
twenty-five palms in length, and a little less in height, in the joining
of which there appears to have been no lime used. Over the door or
entrance of this fort is an inscription which some Moors, well versed in
Arabic, could not decipher, nor were they acquainted with the character
of the writing.
Around this edifice there are other erections similar to it, having
bastions of stone uncemented by lime, and in the middle of them there are
the remains of a tower, at least seventy feet in height. These edifices
are called, in the language of the country, Zimboë, which signifies a
royal residence.
I was told at Mozambique that the Arabs could not decipher the
inscriptions to be found at Zimboë.
Barros thinks that the country of Sofala ought to be that designated,
by Ptolemy, Agyzimba. Zimboë, the name of the remains of the royal
residences there, certainly offers some affinity to that of Agyzimba; and
there is still the remnant of a once powerful nation, called the Zimbas,
to be found on the banks of the Zambesi.
Bruce, in the third volume of his travels, tells us, when speaking of the
celebrated Portuguese traveller, Covilham, who was detained in Abyssinia,
and communicated thence with the King of Portugal, that “in his journal,
Covilham described the several ports in India which he had seen; the
temper and disposition of the princes; the situation and riches of the
mines of Sofala. He reported that the country was very populous; full of
cities, both powerful and rich; and he exhorted the king to pursue, with
unremitting vigour, the passage round Africa, which he declared to be
attended with very little danger, and that the Cape itself was known in
India. He accompanied this description with a chart which he had received
from the hands of a Moor in India, where the Cape, and cities all around
the coast, were exactly represented.”
These statements of Bruce are confirmed by what the Portuguese have
reported of the state of the country when they first settled there: that
the princes were pure Moors; that their form of worship was the same as
that of the Arabs; and that they lived, more especially in the interior,
in considerable state.
Among the learned it has been a subject of considerable dispute where the
country of Ophir, abounding in gold, was situated.
After a display of great ingenuity and considerable research, in the
endeavour to prove Ophir situated in Arabia, India, and even Peru, I
think it will be at length allowed that Sofala, on the east coast of
Africa, is indubitably the Ophir of Solomon.
“And King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside
Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent
in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the
servants. Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold,
four hundred and twenty talants, and brought it to King Solomon.”[3]
“And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in
from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. And the King
made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the
King’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such
almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.”[4]
“For the King had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once
in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver,
ivory, and apes, and peacocks.”[5]
Writers on this subject have endeavoured to prove that this Ophir, where
Solomon obtained such immense quantities of gold, is Ofor, on the eastern
side of the Arabian peninsula; and that the immense gold-field alluded
to by the sacred writer is the adjoining very small extent of coast,
known as the _littus Hammæum ubi auri metalla_, or Gold Coast, mentioned
by Pliny; asserting that this was the true term of the famous voyage,
undertaken in the reign of Solomon, from Ezion-geber, or Akaba, at the
head of the Gulf of Elah.
That the small district referred to may have contained a small quantity
of gold (as no doubt it does at present, for it is stated to be highly
metalliferous), I am not going to dispute.
But we know that Arabia does not contain elephants, and therefore it
could not have produced ivory.
The coast line has the pearl oyster, in common with the whole of the
Persian Gulf; but not in such abundance as to have been an article of
commerce at that place.
Arabia contains no peacocks, nor the guinea-fowl, which is evidently
intended by the Hebrew word in the original text.
It never contained apes at the time referred to; for they were introduced
into Arabia by Dthoo’l-Adhàr, “the lord of terror,” or “the terrible
one,” who received that epithet in allusion to the frightful animals he
had introduced. He reigned in Yemen, during the invasion of Ælius Gallus,
which took place in the year one of the Christian era.
The almug tree, supposed by the best authorities to be sandal wood,
is not indigenous to Arabia. Some have gone as far even as Anam, or
Cochin-China, for what they believe is this fragrant wood, called in
Arabic _A’llawwa_, and in Sanscrit _Aguru_.
Arabia has never produced precious stones in any quantity.
By the extract from the Book of Kings already given, we are told that
the voyage to Ophir and back took three years to accomplish, which, if
situated in Arabia, might be performed easily in one-third of that time.
It is evident that this Ophir of Solomon was the _Ultima Thule_ of the
Jews and Phœnicians in the East (or rather South); and if situated in
Arabia, it would be approached by land, and not by sea, the latter being
in those days a more difficult mode of travelling than the former; and
commercial relations being, even at that date, established by land
between the Persian Gulf and the Holy Land.
Now, on the other hand, we are distinctly told that “the navy also of
Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty
of almug trees and precious stones,” showing that these articles were
all found at Ophir, and were not imported into that place.
And it will be seen when we describe the produce of Sofala, which we hold
to be the Ophir of Solomon, that from time immemorial it has produced, in
great abundance, gold, silver, pearls, precious stones, apes and monkeys,
and also guinea-fowls, which is supposed, by some authorities, to be the
true meaning of the word in the original text which has been translated
in our version “peacock.”
With reference to the almug trees, I brought to England specimens of
the woods to be found on the “Zambesi.” Among these specimens is sandal
wood, which grows along the whole coast from Delagoa Bay to Mozambique,
and is also to be found in great abundance on the opposite side of the
Mozambique Channel, on the north-west end of the island of Madagascar,
whence it is exported to China. Besides the common sandal wood, which is
yellowish-white, I have a specimen of red sandal wood from the “Zambesi,”
which is very beautiful, not unlike the handsomest specimens of Bermuda
cedar, but still having the scent of the common sandal wood, both in
the wood of the tree and also that of the root. This I look upon as the
almug tree that Solomon made such great use of in the house of the Lord;
a specimen of which may be seen at the rooms of the Royal Geographical
Society of London.
Finally, we know how the Arabs constantly called places “after their own
names,”—what so natural as to call this rich country after the name of
their own land? This they positively did; for they call to this hour the
river leading from the ocean to the Manica Gold Mines—which are the great
mines of the country—the river Sabia; and the large district adjoining
Sofala, lying between the rivers Sabia and Sofala, has been, ever since
Europeans appeared on that coast, and is now called Sabia; which all
persons versed in Arabian history are aware is synonymous with Saba,
Sheba, or Yemen; names alike applied to the south part of Arabia, from
which the Arabs would naturally start for Africa.[6]
The great empire of Monomotapa existing in these parts, on the arrival
of the Portuguese in Eastern Africa, was divided into two kingdoms,
viz., Monomotapa, or Bonomotapa Proper, and the empire of Mocoranga,
which latter comprehended eight kingdoms, as follows:—Carruro-Medra,
Mujao, Mukuku, Turgeno, Gengir-Bomba, Manöemouges, Ruenga, and Bororo.
Monomotapa Proper also consisted of eight kingdoms—viz., Chikova,
Sacumbé, Iñabasé, Munare, Shiroro, Manica, Chingamira, and Sofala.
All these kingdoms were tributary to the Emperor of Monomotapa, except
Sofala, which, nominally, belonged to the Portuguese.
The ancient kingdom of Sofala extended north to the Luavo mouth of the
Zambesi; and to the south, as far as the river Sofala, formerly to the
river Sabia; and west as far as the kingdom of Manica.
The kingdom of Sofala, like all those comprehending Monomotapa Proper,
is rich in mines of gold, silver, copper, and iron; precious stones of
every variety have been found in this region, and may be obtained in
considerable quantities.
The sugar cane, coffee, and indigo are growing everywhere, while
wheat is grown on the uplands. All the products already described as
appertaining to Inhambane are to be found here; while, if the surrounding
district of Monomotapa is included, it may safely be said that there is
nothing grown in the torrid and temperate zones which may not be produced
in this extensive territory, reaching from the Indian Ocean to the crest
of the Lupata Mountains, which are said to be covered with perpetual snow.
The Manica gold mines are situated in a valley, inclosed in an
amphitheatre of hills, having a circuit of about 100 miles. The spots
containing gold are known by the barren and naked aspect of the surface
soil. The district is called Matouca, and the natives who obtain the gold
are the Botongos. Although this country is situated between the equator
and the tropic of Capricorn, in the cold season the mountains surrounding
the mining district are covered with so great a quantity of snow, that,
if the natives are caught there at that season, they perish from the
cold; but in the hot season, the sides and summits of these mountains
enjoy a serene, bracing, equable temperature, while it is hot in the
inclosed valleys.
These mountain heights afford at once a desirable residence for
Europeans, and will doubtless be found similar in temperature to the
upper terraces of Natal.
The natives dig in any small crevice made by the rains of the preceding
winter, and there find the gold in dust. They seldom go deeper than one
or two feet at the most from the surface, and on digging five or six feet
deep, they reach the rock.
There are other mines still farther from Sofala, being about 400 or 500
miles distant, where the gold is found in solid lumps, or as veins in the
rocks and stones.
In the still portions of the rivers, when they are low, the natives
frequently dive to obtain the lumps of gold which have been washed down
into these holes and gullies in the beds of the rivers. They will also
sometimes join together in hundreds, and deflect a stream temporarily
from its course, to drain these holes, and obtain the rich deposits which
they contain. With such natives, what could the Portuguese not do if
they would only exert themselves?—but they tell one that the natives are
lazy and stupid brutes. On the other hand, the Moors induce the natives
to work and obtain gold for them; and so it is very apparent who are
deserving of the degrading epithets applied to them by the degenerate
hybrid race of Canareens who lord it over them.
On this side of Africa I believe mercury has never been employed for
the purpose of extracting the gold, the more valuable metal being so
abundant. The natives do not value it, making their ornaments of copper
in preference to gold.
The iron from Sofala has been long celebrated for its malleable
qualities, and has been carried to India for many ages by the Arabs,
where it has always found a ready market.
In the whole of this territory elephants are found; and it has been
estimated, from the enormous quantity of ivory produced, that the natives
at one time must have killed from three to four thousand of these animals
every year.
Along the whole of this coast, the pearl-oyster is to be found. At
Inhambane the natives obtain it along the beach without even going out
of their depth; while the Bazarutto Islands, near the mouth of the Sabia
river, have been long celebrated for the pearl fishery carried on there.
It was from these islands that the pearls which accompanied the gold and
ivory and precious stones to the court of King Solomon were doubtless
obtained.
The Portuguese flag is kept flying at the Bazarutto Islands, but for what
purpose, except to keep others from benefiting by the pearls which they
neglect, one cannot imagine. From accounts which I have received, I am
led to believe that the pearl-fishery at these islands, properly worked
and protected, would rival that of Ceylon.
On both banks of the river Sofala, and from that river northwards to the
southern bank of the Zambesi, the country is one mass of mineral wealth;
gold, silver, copper, and, toward Tete, even iron and coal being found in
abundance.
The town of Sofala, which is built at the mouth of the river of the same
name, is divided into two portions, one of which contains the Moors, or
labourers of the small settlement, and the other the Governor and his
subordinates, together with their slaves, who may, collectively, be well
styled the drones, for they live by taxes and duties levied on the more
industrious Moorish community.
The houses are not unlike those already described at Inhambane, the
exteriors by no means leading one to surmise the high-sounding titles of
the occupants. That portion of Sofala which is known as Portuguese Town
is dirty in the extreme, while the Moorish Town is but little better.
When the Portuguese first appeared on this coast, Sofala was one of those
places of which they obtained possession; and Don Pedro da Nhaya built a
remarkably fine fort at this place, which remains to this day, a monument
of the bygone glory of the nation, and a reproach to the degeneracy of
the present race.
At a short distance to the northward of this fort, is a church dedicated
to “Our Lady of the Rozario,” the walls of which are built of rough
stones, while it is roofed in with palm leaves. A covered porch leads to
the entrance, on each side of which there is a chamber, one serving as a
sacristy, while the other answers as a lodging for the priests. The holy
Fathers have no means of support, and are entirely dependent on the alms
of the faithful.
Formerly the church was rich in gold and jewels of great value, which
adorned the statue of the blessed Virgin; but the priests who sold their
fellow-beings into slavery did not hesitate to rob the temple of their
God.
There is a great want of water in the town, which might be easily
supplied by a pure stream not more than a mile distant; but as there is a
large cistern in the fort, built by Da Nhaya upwards of three hundred and
fifty years since, they have recourse to this; and neither dig wells nor
build an aqueduct.
Of labouring Moors, groaning slaves, and degenerate everybodies, there
are said to be 1225 persons.
The military establishment of Sofala is from thirty to thirty-five
soldiers, sent from Mozambique for some misdemeanour while serving in
that garrison; to these are added a few Moors and Kaffirs, who are shut
out of the fort at night, and do double duty by day.
Sofala is admirably situated for commerce; and nothing but the baneful
influence of the slave-trade could have reduced it to its present state:
a melancholy contrast to the flourishing Arab settlement which the
Portuguese found there in 1505.