Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/296

 brought under cultivation and made to yield sufficient produce for the local consumption, because the port is encompassed by solitudes, and lies at a far greater distance than Lourengo Marques from the agricultural and mining regions of the interior. From these it is separated by the valley of the Limpopo and by extensive plains, rendered almost uninhabitable by the presence of the deadly tsetse fly. The town itself was captured in 1834 by the Landins (Zulus), and even recently reports were current of impending fresh attacks. Yet with all these drawbacks the yearly trade of the place has of late years risen to nearly £60,000.

Mrs. Pringle, one of the few English travellers who have in late years visited

Inhambane, speaks of it as quite a charming town. "We thought it quite the most beautiful place we had yet seen in Africa. As we approached our anchorage the broad river became blocked with wooded islands. Everywhere we looked there were forest and low-spreading bushes. The town, nestling under wooded hills, is situated at the head of a deep bay about fourteen miles from the mouth of the river. Quite a number of picturesque little huts peeped out from amongst a clump of cocoanut palms, looking from the steamer very like Swiss chalets, only they had uo stones about them, and were thatched with palm-leaves. Several were surrounded by high palisades, Kafir fashion. The contrast between this little bit of uative town and the more solid-looking Kuropean houses, situated on a rising knoll, was very striking. Then the sunset, though short, was exquisite. The whole