Travels in India (Tavernier) 107.2

107.2

Towards Thibet, which is identical with the Caucasus of the Ancients, in the territories of a Raja beyond the Kingdom of Kashmir, there are three mountains close to one another, one of which produces gold of excellent quality, another grenat, and another lapis. Finally, gold comes from the kingdom of Tipperah, of which I shall give a description in the following Book, but this gold is of bad quality, being of about the same standard as the gold of China. These are all the places in Asia from whence gold comes, and I shall now say something of the gold of Africa, and of the region where it is obtained in greatest abundance. It should be remarked, under this head, that the governor of Mozambique has subject to him the commanders of Sofala and of Shupanga. The first of these two small governments is on the river Sena 60 leagues from its mouth, and the other is 10 leagues higher up. From the mouth of the river up to these places on both sides there are many settlements of negroes, each of which is commanded by a Portuguese. These Portuguese have for a long time been masters of the country, and act like petty princes, making war against one another on the smallest pretext, there being some among them who have as many as 5000 Cafres, who are their slaves. The Governor of Mozambique, to whom these petty princes are subject, furnishes them with cloth and other necessary goods, each of which he sells according to its market value.