Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/56

 86 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. each. From the bituminous sandstones of the Mussera district there oozes up a kind of asphalt, which the natives say collects in little pools, but which they do not allow the Europeans to visit. Ambriz and Loanda. Ambrtz, or rather Mbrish, so-named from a neighbouring river, is the only port of call on the whole seaboard between the Congo estuary and Loanda. Although it lias been occupied by the Portuguese since the year 1855, the neighbouring roadstead of Quisscmbo, as well as the territory stretching thence northwards, was left to the natives, so that foreign traders were able to carry on business without being obliged to pay local dues to the Portuguese authorities. Ambriz, whose various Henznlas, or quarters, are scattered over the face of a steep cliff, has no harbour, nor any shipping accommodation beyond a pier, which vessels may approach in calm weather. The open roadstead is sheltered only by a low headland from the south and south-east winds ; but this part of the coast is fortunately scarcely ever swept by storms. Ambriz was formerly visited by numerous caravans conveying ivory from the San-Salvador region, and although at present it exports very little of this commodity, its general trade has greatly increased of lite years. Although lying beyond the Congo basin, it is situated within the zone of free trade with the whole of the Angolan territory limited southwards by the river Loje. Its staple export is coffee, which comes from the plantations in the south-east, attracted to this port by its exemption from local impost. Ambriz also forwards ground-nuts, caoutchouc, and the baobab bast used in the manufacture of paper, the yearly value of all its exports being estimated at from £160,000 to £200,000. The Brazilian jigger {pulcx penetrans), originally introduced with the cargo of the Thomas Mitchell in 1872, has since spread from this place throughout a great part of West Africa. Ambriz is destitute of good routes towards the region of inland plateaux, and especially towards Qnihilla, in the southern part of the Mu-Shicongo territory, as well as towards Bembe. The latter is a fortrfied town standing 2,550 feet above sea-level on a plateau separated from a peaked mountain by a deep valley strewn with a number of malachite boulders, which appear to have been borne thither by the action of water. Formerly the natives sold from two hundred to three hundred tons annually to the Ambriz dealers. More recently an English company was ruined in the attempt to work these deposits, nearly all the miners introduced from Cornwall perishing in a few months. The little fort of Sao Jose, or Das Pedrns de Encogi, is the chief strategical station of the interior, but is much dreaded by the military convicts sent here to die of fever. It crowns a bluff full of caves, which overlooks the upper Loje Valley, and guards the frontiers of the kingdom of Congo. The surrounding forests supply a large quantity of coffee, collected from the uncultivated plant. South-east of Ambriz the seaboard as far as the Dande river is occupied by the Mossul territory, which aboands in gum copal. This region is still very little