[Footnote 397:  In modern geography, which indeed is mainly ignorant of the foreign possessions of the Portuguese, the dominion of Sofala on both sides of the river of that name, extend about 520 miles from east to west, in lat. 20 deg.  S. from the Mozambique channel, by about 100 miles in breadth.  The commercial station of Sofala belonging to the Portuguese is at the mouth of the river; and about 220 miles from the sea is a town called Zimbao of Quiteve.  Manica the kingdom of Chicanga is an inland district to the west of the kingdoms of Sofala and Sabia; all three dependent upon Monomotapa.—­E.]

[Footnote 398:  This Zimbao of Quiteve is to be carefully distinguished from a town of the same name in Monomotapa.  The former is nearly in lat. 20 deg.  S. on the river of Sofala, the latter is about 16 deg. 20’ S. near the river Zambezi or Cuama.—­E]

Homem returned to the kingdom of Quiteve, and the king of that country now permitted him to march for the mines of Maninnas[399], on condition that the Portuguese should pay him twenty crowns yearly.  Homem accordingly marched for the kingdom of Chicova[400], which borders upon the inland frontier of Monomotapa towards the north, having heard that there were rich mines of silver in that country.  Having penetrated to Chicova, he inquired among the natives for the way to the mines; and as they saw that it was in vain for them to resist, while they feared the discovery of the mines would prove their ruin, they scattered some ore at a place far distant from the mines, and shewing this to the Portuguese told them that this was the place of which they were in search.  By this contrivance the Kafrs gained time to escape, as the Portuguese permitted them to go away, perhaps because they were unwilling the natives should see what treasure they procured.  Homem accordingly caused all the environs to be carefully dug up, and after a vast deal of fruitless labour was obliged to desist, as provisions grew scarce.  Thus finding no advantage after all his fatigues and dangers, Homem marched away towards the coast with part of his troops, intending to return to his government at Mozambique, and left Antonio Cardoso de Almeyda with 200 men to continue the researches for some time for the treasures that were said to abound in that country.  Cardoso suffered himself to be again deceived by the Kafrs who had before imposed upon Homem, as they now offered to conduct him to where he might find a vein of silver.  But they led him the way of death rather than of the mines, and killed him and all his men after defending themselves with incredible bravery.

[Footnote 399:  No such place is laid down in modern maps, but rich gold mines are mentioned in Mocaranga near mount Fura, which is nearly in the route indicated in the text, between Sofala or Quiteve and Chicoya.—­E.]

[Footnote 400:  Chicova is a territory and town of Mocaranga or Monomotapa, in lat. 19 deg.  N. at the north-west boundary of that empire on the Zambeze; and is said to abound in mines of silver.—­E.]