The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-12

e. 70 ~. /.
stories including those OF lion hunts,
elephant hunts and struggles with
hippos and rhinos. Among these was
which the Central African engineer had
recently shot. He said the reptile was
ar old one and that II had evidently
been a great man-eater. for he had
found fforty-efght native bracelets and
anklets in Its stomach. HIS presump-
ton was that the crocodile had eaten
iorty-eight negroes so ornamented. to
iaS no o e he sery h ben t xa9
went to battle.
Portuguese East Africa.
This is my first taste of Portuguese
East Africp. ! saw the country first ut
Chinde. and sailed for miles along the
coast before came to Beira. The ter
ritory Is enormous.
It extends along the borders OF the
Indian Ocean for as far as from New
York to Omaha. and at the north
goes inland as far as from Washing
ton to Boston. It is larger than
more than six States the size OF Ohio.
Kentucky or Virginia. Its native pop
ulation is estimated at 100000 or 81
100000. but no accurate census has
been taken; and, although the Portu-
more than 900 years, they know almost
nothing about 1t. The greater part
OF 1t, as l have. said, has been leased
to the Mozambique Company and an
other part to the company of the
zambique Company. and that company
fixes the taxes and pays Portugal for
the privilege OF exploiting the town.
1t runs the post-office and sells its
own postage stamps.
The Prn1zo System.
1t farms out the natives and makes
they work out by giving their labor
to foreigners. This Is known as the
prazzo system. The country Is d.
vided up into districts known as
the successful bidder having the right
to collect the taxes Of his prazzo for a
term OF three years.
He is allowed to levy a tax OF so
much on each native and he must pay
that amount in cash or work. The
contractor has also the. right to force
the people to do certain amount on
the public roads. and on house build
ing for the officials. He has also other
rights which make the system little
more than legalized slavery. The
taxes are often paid in goods, and the
n
American or English cotton cloth, the
price of which can be regulated large
~ by the collector. A part OF the la
Dor Is the hunting of elephants and
the gathering Of rubber. both of which
are exceedingly profitable. am told
that the abuses OF such men, in the
far-away districts. are terrible. and that
q the people have comparatively few
rights that the tax collectors are A
bound to respect. It is said that slay-
cry Is still common In some regions.
although 1T is not recognized by the
government and is contrary to law.
The conditions are not as bad In Por-
tuguesa West Africa, where slaves
are still bought and sold, but they are
bad enough.
Mozambique. a Back Number.
The cities of Portuguese East Africa
are changing. It used to be that Mo-
zambique was by far the most import
ant. Situated on little island. in the
wide channel between Africa and Mad
agascar. 1t was for years one Of the
great ports of the continent.
En- II was a centre of the slave trade
'guese officials. The country has two
capitals. enc. at Mozambique at the
marques at the south. Mozambique is
stu s the headquarters of the A1ozam-
conducted from there Lourenco
Marques is the chief commercial cen.
ire; and. with its magnificent harbor|
and Its short railroad to the goldnelds,
cities on the east coast Of
Africa. q, &, 80 ! ~
Mozambique lies on a. little island
only quarter OF mile wide and not
+; more than mile long. It is close to
moving back and forth carrying foodl
and supplies. The island is covered!
with houses It has clean sidewalks
ana paved With cement. and its road
Ways are 3Elacadamized. 9@HI
1T has fort and public buildings
put now the streets are practically de-i|
serted. Many Of the good houses are
Xaeant and 1l,s others have been turned
the slaves, We're exposed for sale have
passed away, and the town Is practi-
cally dead. s
The city Of Beira is8not as prosper
Gus as S3it has been in the past. Its
War and u now has 600 or 700 whites,
about 1900 negroes and considerable
mum ~ Y be-. OF Eas Indians. II isaa town
eanks StoreS hotels
fo,iT-Wheeled saffairsseac CHI large enoubh|
tCA old but two persons, and they are
n led oyer he tracks by negroes. who
along behind AT 3l n
s& laurence GNArQue 3. sN}4 i3s5E3|
urenco Marques, on the other
Z is ra idly growing, It is lighted
q; lectriolty. and there are lines OF
various va sections, IT has a new posts
otlce, q new railway station and many
new buildings. The great marsh at |
! ns back 5,s ofathe city has been drained.
a a,1i g. lhe mosquito plague Is practically
coming So tIhe,..chtef port for the Trans
wal 4, and T Is where our American
goods for that region are now landed
The.city has one Of the best har-
hors on the African Continent, tits
known as Delago GA Bay. t is twenty
eight miles LONG. and 9 bout fourteen
nila Bay IN Its extent, Indeed, 1T.
could 4 contain at one y time all tho ahipa
to8spare. ~ s3 8Sl55f 3sS X yfa8 55 ~
81 Lourenco Marques he gan to grow
when the IA ilroad connecting 1t with |
cha, was built This WAS
gross has been st lead " from then until
tits BY 81 the stIssout Y