Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/295

 TOPOOBAPHY OF OAZALAND. 281 liar privileges, umongst which one of the most cunous was a right to have all ca>>e8 of eriiiie and dispute occurring amongst themselves settled by their own judges, who generally consisted of padres chosen from the order of the Jesuits. Some say that from this union of commerce and religion much trouble and disorder sprang ; others, that the power of the Jesuits and the prosperity of the Banyans alike excited the envy of the authorities. Both were 8jx)ken of in terms of harsh and severe censure. A drastic measure was therefore taken yfiih their reverences, and in 1759 they were packed off as prisoners to their respective convents in Goa, and the whole of their property in the colony confiscated to the Crown. " Soon after the Banyans were ordered to return to Mozambique, ' because of disorders spread by them on the coast,' undin 1777 their monopoly was withdrawn. But these restrictions appear to have had little effect, as for nearly a century past their field of trade has been steadily extending. The feeling of antagonism with which these traders are regarded arises chiefly from the fact that the profits made by them are neither invested in, nor serve any useful purpose to, this country. India is the land of their nativity, and out of it the law of their race does not permit them to permanently settle, or even to carry their women. Residence abroad is, therefore, to them but a temporary sojourn, and the wealth they gain is naturally remitted to the only country custom allows them to call their own."* Topography. In the southern part of this region the only town hitherto founded by the Portuguese bears the Kafir name of Inhambane.f It is situated on the east side of a large open bay, free from reefs, which somewhat resembles that of Louren^o Marques, although offering fewer advantages to shipping. Towards the south the inlet gradually narrows to a small creek, and here is situated the harbour, accessible only to vessels drawing 10 or 12 feet of water. The town, which is fairly well constructed, stands on a long hill or ridge, which is almost entirely surrounded by water at the flood. It has a motley population of about two thousand blacks, whites, and copper- coloured Christians, Mohammedans, Banyans, and Parsees. Inhambane being a centre of the Moslem propaganda amongst the surrounding Negro populations, has its mosque as well as its churches. On an island near the coast, some GO miles farther north, are seen the ruins of on old Arab settlement. Slaves and ivory, which were formerly the only exports, have now given place to beeswax, caoutchouc, gum copal, cocoanuts and groundnuts. In their dealings with the natives the Inhambane traders use as currency little iron bars. The neighbouring palm-groves, which cover a space of over a thousand acres, contain about a hundred and eighty thousand cocoanut- trees. Of late years some sugar- cane, tea, and cinchona plantations have also been formed in the vicinity of the town. It is of considerable importance that the whole of this district should be • Consul H. E. O'Neill, Proctfdi»g» of th« Royal Grographical Society, October, 1882. t The two syUables inha, forming the initialM of hu many nHUios of pIac*eH in the Portugucfte Eaitt African poMesfdons simplj represent the Spaninh A, tnuutliterated in English by ng. Consequently JmhamboH* ia to be pronounced ygambane.