Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/373

 ADMINISTRATION OF MOZAMBIQUE. 299 much sh'.iUowcr than cither of the Mozambiciuo havens. In the year 1754 the Portuguese, who hid already been long o-stablished at (iuerimba, occupied the island of Ibo, which could bo much more easily fortified against the attacks of corsairs, liut trade and population have made little progress in these waters, whore th » coral banks oil' the coast are barren reefs, while a regular traffic could scarcely be developed with the neighbouring Mabiha (Ma-Iiiha) territory, sparsely peopled by a few wild tribes. Speculators have often en^ged native c(X)lie8 on the Ibo coast for the plantations on the French island of Nossi-be. The total annual trade of this port averages little over £25,000. Amongst the numerous islands which follow northwards as far as Cape Dclgado, several, such as Matemo, have sm.dl groups of civilised communities, while some of the villages on the neighbouring coastlands are also under the direct jurisdiction of Portuguese officials. Such is Jlmi/tifjica {Mxcimha), situated on the bay of like name about 60 miles south of the Rovuma estuary. Recently also the Portuguese have by force of arms vindicated their claim to the possession of Tunge Bay, an iidet on the coast contiguous to Cape Delgado. This place had already been ceded to them by previous treaties, as well as by the convention concluded with Germany in 1886 But an attempt was male to dispute their right by the late Sultan of Zanzibar, who based his claims on the nationality of the Arab traders by whom the district was administered, and on the geographical explorations undertaken by his command in the interior of the country. The question has now been settled by the Portuguese gunboats in favour of the European power. But if Portugal has thus become mistress of the whole seaboard, she is still represented in this region by a mere handful of her p]uropean subjects. In 1857 a batch of emigrants was sent direct from Portugal to form permanent settlements on the shores of Pemha or Mwambi Bay, south of Ibo, one of the best harbours on the coast. They received free grants of land, cattle, rations, and arms; but on the other hand they were 8uJ>jected to a rigorous administration, including personal supervision and the regular observance of public worship. The result was that despite the relatively salubrious climate of the district, the colony made no head, but rapidly fell into utter decay. On the mainland over against Ibo stands the village of Ki^angn, a small port on Montepes Bay, where the Mtepwesi (Montepes) River reaches the coast. Administration of Mozambique. Being formeily considered as a simple port of call on the route to India, Mozambique dependel administratively fmm Goa to the middle of the eighteenth century; but since the year 1752 it has b.en governed directly from Portugal. Like the province of Angola on the west coast, it is now administered by a governor- general assisted by a council of high functionaries. A provincial council has also been instituted for the purpose of examining and sanctioning the local budgets and generally superintending all affairs of secondary imjwrtance. S[)ecial commit-