Chapter Twenty Five.
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.