True to his promise, De Gama called at Melinda; embarked the ambassadors of the Sheik, and, after a short stay of five days, proceeded to the island of Zanzibar, arriving there on the 29th April, 1499. There, although occupied by Mahometan Arabs, he was well received; being furnished with live stock, vegetables, and fruit in abundance. Doubtless the fame of his deeds had preceded him, and the wily Arabs of that place wished to avoid making an enemy of one who had the power of visiting them with a severe retribution.
Leaving Zanzibar, he sailed along the Mozambique coast, wisely reserving his chastisement of the Mozambiquers for a future day. He watered his ships at Saint Blasse Bay, doubled the Cape of Good Hope in the stormy season of those seas, touched at Terceira, where he had the misfortune to lose his brother Paul, companion of his glory, but not destined to share in his triumph.
Leaving Terceira, with its melancholy reminiscences, De Gama, with his battered ships, wrecks of their former selves, containing only one-third of their gallant crews, reached Lisbon in the month of September, 1499.
The reception of De Gama and his companions by his country, and the honours conferred upon him by his King, present one of those rich pages in the history of the small kingdom of Portugal which the lovers of progress delight to dwell upon; while the benefits conferred on the world by this discovery remain the property of mankind, forming one of the richest contributions towards civilization ever placed on record.
One cannot contemplate, without the most sublime emotion, this spectacle of the conquest of mind over matter. From the first attempt of Don Henry until its fortunate accomplishment in the successful voyage of Vasco de Gama, history cannot record a more glorious triumph than that of the Portuguese discovery of the passage to India. Kings, sages, philosophers, and heroes for the actors; a century for the performance; a vast ocean washing the shores of three continents for the stage; with posterity for the spectators—it stands unparalleled as the great drama of discovery.
It is not our intention, in the present work, to trace the history of Mozambique from its being made known to Europe by the great discovery of De Gama, through all the changes which have taken place on that coast since the Portuguese era of conquest—nor to show how its position, with that of all the Portuguese settlements in these seas, became affected by the union of Spain and Portugal into one kingdom, and the appearance of the Dutch and English in these seas. These are matters of history, which may be more properly laid before the student of history, the antiquarian, and the lover of social progress, in a work which will shortly appear; while, in a popular work like the present, we will more properly confine ourselves to the state of Mozambique as it may now be seen.
The city of Mozambique is situated on an island of the same name, in latitude 15° 2′ S. and longitude 40° 48′ E., which, with two other islands, St. Jago and St. George, placed in an inlet of the Indian Ocean, form, with the mainland, a secure harbour, five miles deep, and five and a quarter miles broad; and with the neighbouring harbour of Mokambo, in which three rivers discharge themselves, is perhaps the most eligible spot to establish an immense trade with the interior, and an admirable position for an emporium for Europe, America, Arabia, India, and Madagascar. The advantages of this harbour for commercial purposes, both as to its means of communicating with the vast interior of Africa, and the facilities afforded to it by the monsoons for easy access to the neighbouring countries, cannot be overrated. It requires only the entire cessation of the accursed slave-trade to make the capabilities of this magnificent harbour known, when the development of its rich and varied resources would obtain for it a position as an emporium for the commerce of the world, second only to that of Alexandria. As Mohammet Ali restored Alexandria to its former position, so it is in the power of the King of Portugal, Don Pedro V., to again make Mozambique what it was when first visited by Vasco de Gama, in 1497, namely, a rendezvous for all the commerce of the Indian Ocean. The introduction and fostering of the slave-trade has destroyed legitimate commerce, and reduced it to its present position; and nothing but the entire abolition of that traffic can re-establish its former greatness. The young King of Portugal has a glorious career opened to him, if he will only prove himself worthy of the destiny to which he is called.
On the north end of the island of Mozambique, there is a large fort, called San Sebastian, having an appearance of considerable strength, which at one time no doubt was the case, for it has embrasures for at least eighty pieces of cannon, but barely half of that number are in the fort at present; even the carriages of these are dilapidated by age, and the cannon themselves honey-combed by the combined effects of climate and neglect. This fort would afford but a poor resistance to an attack of one or two small ships of war. But yet the imperial government of Portugal are so intimidated by the occupants of this nest of slavery and piracy, that during my residence at Mozambique, orders were issued that, on the new Governor-general arriving at Mozambique in the month of September, 1857, some of the cannon were to be embarked on board of the frigate which brought him out, for the purpose of being conveyed to Portugal, so as to reduce the strength of the fort, and afford a better chance to the Portuguese government to retake the place, in the event of these slave-dealers attempting to overcome the new Governor-general, and driving him and the local government to obtain safety by flight, as their predecessors had done in 1835.
On the south end of the island there is also a fort, but it is small and of little strength, being intended to command a passage between it and the mainland, which is only practicable for boats, or vessels of very light draught of water.
The city of Mozambique has two churches and three small chapels; the two former were respectable edifices even at the time of their erection, which was when the Portuguese first obtained a footing on this coast. Besides the churches already named, there are one or two fine public buildings. The palace of the Governor-general is a very imposing edifice, of considerable extent, having a court-yard in the middle, from which access is obtained to the reception-rooms, which are lofty, well ventilated, and floored with handsome timber: being an exception to the flooring of all the other houses at Mozambique; the latter being composed of chunam. The palace of the Governor-general was built by the Jesuits for their college, in 1670, but subsequently became, on their expulsion, the property of the government. The roof of it is flat, and entirely covered with lead, which not only protects it against the action of the weather, but renders it cooler than it otherwise would be. It is one of those buildings which strike the eye of the beholder, and give him some idea of the greatness of the Portuguese nation during the era of conquest. The Treasury and the Custom-house are plain, solid buildings, of modern date, and contrast unfavourably with the palace and churches of bygone ages. There is an admirable wharf, which would grace any harbour in Europe, and the masonry of which cannot be surpassed; the portion of it which is under water being built with mortar, in which oil has been used instead of water.