Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/370

 Arab occupation, has some regular buildings in the Portuguese style, protected by the guns of Fort Saint Sebastian, at the northern extremity of the island. The huts of the "black town" are grouped in the southern part of Mozambique, near Fort Saint Lawrence.

On this arid islet the rainwater is carefully husbanded and sold at a high

price to passing vessels. Till recently reduced to a state of decay owing to the falling off of its trade, this Portuguese town has again recovered some of its former importance as capital of a province, destined one day to join hands with Angola across the continent. The movement of exchanges now exceeds £220,000 yearly, the staples of the export trade being gums and ivory. Caoutchouc first