'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎257] (434/524)

TOUR in COUNTRIES AROUND ZANZIBAR, kc. 257
6. The vegetation is most luxuriant, the numerous islands which
fringe its western coast are uncultivated and uninhabited, save by
fishermen and runaway slaves, and there one can wander in the deepest
shade through virgin forests, which would be esteemed a botanist’s
paradise. I collected a considerable variety of orchids, which I shall
send by the first opportunity to the Victoria Gardens.
7. The main island is less cultivated than Zanzibar, but it appears,
if possible, more productive, and its fruits, especially the mango, are
more highly esteemed. Sugarcane is grown in considerable quantities,
but the method employed for extracting the juice is so rude, that but
little sugar, and that of a very inferior quality, is produced.
8. We next intended visiting Kdwa, but owing to the strong
baffling currents which prevail on this coast, the Captain misjudged
his position, and on the 15th October we found ourselves entering
Kiswara bay, under the impression that it was Kilwa. With tbe
exception of a few fishermen w^e saw no sign of habitation, and the
shore, where we landed, was so densely overgrown with jungle that we
were unable to penetrate it.
9. Thence we proceeded to Tonga bay, immediately to the South
of Cape Delgado. We anchored at 8^ p. m. on the 16th, and next
morning we visited the village of Tonga, the most southern possession of
His Highness Seyed Majid. It is in actual possession of His Highness,
who has a Custom House there, but it is also claimed by the Portu
guese. In a statistical account of Mozambique, published by the
authority of the Portuguese Government,* it is stated, ‘ £ Cape
Dehado is the northern limit of Mozambique ; nevertheless the Imaum
of Muscat has a Custom House in the bay of Tonga, to the south of
that Cape, which must be abandoned as soon as we shall assert our
undoubted right to the possession of that place.
11 We arrived at Ibo or Weebo (where I found the “Pleiad”*
awaiting me) on the morning of the 18th; this is one of a numerous
group of islands, to the south of Cape Delgado, and capital of the dis
trict of the same name. It contains nearly three thousand natives but
very few Europeans. There are twelve Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. merchants, and one
* Ensaios sobre a Estatistica
?ib: IV Mozambique.
dos possessoes
Portugezas no Ultramar, II 8erie,