attempted unless the wind be north-east or east. It has sometimes been
called "Barra Catrina," and was used in the embarkations of slaves. This
may have been the "River of Good Signs," of Vasco da Gama, as the mouth
is more easily seen from the seaward than any other; but the absence of
the pillar dedicated by that navigator to "St. Raphael," leaves the
matter in doubt. No Portuguese live within eighty miles of any mouth of
the Zambesi.

The Kongone is five miles east of the Milambe, or western branch, and
seven miles west from East Luabo, which again is five miles from the
Timbwe. We saw but few natives, and these, by escaping from their canoes
into the mangrove thickets the moment they caught sight of us, gave
unmistakeable indications that they had no very favourable opinion of
white men. They were probably fugitives from Portuguese slavery. In the
grassy glades buffaloes, wart-hogs, and three kinds of antelope were
abundant, and the latter easily obtained. A few hours' hunting usually
provided venison enough for a score of men for several days.

On proceeding up the Kongone branch it was found that, by keeping well in
the bends, which the current had worn deep, shoals were easily avoided.
The first twenty miles are straight and deep; then a small and rather
tortuous natural canal leads off to the right, and, after about five
miles, during which the paddles almost touch the floating grass of the
sides, ends in the broad Zambesi. The rest of the Kongone branch comes
out of the main stream considerably higher up as the outgoing branch
called Doto.

The first twenty miles of the Kongone are enclosed in mangrove jungle;
some of the trees are ornamented with orchilla weed, which appears never
to have been gathered. Huge ferns, palm bushes, and occasionally wild