A Body Of Makoa Had Come From Their Own Country In
The South, And Settled Here.
The Makoa are known by a cicatrice in
the forehead shaped like the new moon with the horns turned
downwards.
The tribe possesses all the country west of Mosambique;
and they will not allow any of the Portuguese to pass into their
country more than two hours' distance from the fort. A hill some ten
or twelve miles distant, called Pau, has been visited during the
present generation only by one Portuguese and one English officer,
and this visit was accomplished only by the influence of the private
friendship of a chief for this Portuguese gentleman. Our allies have
occupied the Fort of Mosambique for three hundred years, but in this,
as in all other cases, have no power further than they can see from a
gun-carriage.
The Makoa chief, Matingula, was hospitable and communicative, telling
us all he knew of the river and country beyond. He had been once to
Iboe and once at Mosambique with slaves. Our men understood his
language easily. A useless musket he had bought at one of the above
places was offered us for a little cloth. Having received a present
of food from him, a railway rug was handed to him: he looked at it -
had never seen cloth like that before - did not approve of it, and
would rather have cotton cloth. "But this will keep you warm at
night." - "Oh, I do not wish to be kept warm at night." - We gave him a
bit of cotton cloth, not one-third the value of the rug, but it was
more highly prized.
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