Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/457

 Mombaz, the Mombasa of the Arabs, the Mvita of the Swaheli traders, the city sung by Camoens in the "Lusiad," was already a famous place even before the arrival of the Portuguese navigators. In the fourteenth century it was the residence of the king of the Zenj state, and was at that time described as "a great city visited by ships." When Vasco de Gama came to survey the entrance to its port he ran an imminent risk of being taken prisoner. So fur from increasing the commercial activity of Mombaz, the appearance of the Portuguese in these waters marked the

beginning of its decline. The place was again visited by Pedr' Alvares Cabral in 1500, and five years later it was burnt to the ground by Francisco d' Almeida.

In 1528 the Europeans once more established themselves in this seaport, which they again lost and again recovered before the close of the century. By them was erected the imposing fortress which is still seen to the south of the city, crowning a low coralline eminence. On the gateway may even still be read the date, 1635, inscribed by the Portuguese builders of this stronghold. But in 1660 it had already fallen into the hands cf the Imam of Muscat, and in 1698 the Lusitanians