Scheeps-togt van Pedro da Nhaya na Oost-Indien, met een vloot van 8 scheepen, in het jaar 1505 en vervolg...

” through, and much gold, which falls into the land, washes down.

1505

Sofala an island 2260 miles in its circumference.

” In this manner, through the 2 arms referring to river branches and the Sea, the Kingdom of Sofala remains an island of more than 2260 miles in its circumference, being in location, food, animals, and customs similar to Zanguebar. The interior part must be excepted from this, which is an outstanding, temperate, healthy, fresh, and, in everything that these regions are accustomed to produce, fertile land. Among others, from the River of the Holy Spirit, one of the arms that encompasses Sofala toward Cape Correntes, up to the said Cape, the land is, a little way from the Sea, a continuous pasture, in which all kinds of large and small livestock go to graze, being for the
Fertility of the land for livestock.

But there is no firewood.

” rest so devoid of wood that the people, in order to keep themselves warm—for the southern winds coming from the sea make it cool—are forced to burn dung, and to clothe themselves with
People clothe themselves with animal skins.

” the hides of beasts. For the rest, Sofala is a mountainous land covered with trees, which is washed everywhere by wild streams and brooks, made pleasant by its location; and consequently it is very populated. It was because of the good air that Benomotapa The Mwene Mutapa or Emperor of the Mutapa Empire kept himself constantly a few miles inland, and it is because of the multitude of people
Elephants in abundance there.

” that the elephants move from here, and like herds and flocks of cattle, they keep themselves in the aforementioned grassland. If one may believe the word of the Caffers term used by historical Europeans for the indigenous peoples of Southeast Africa, then more than 5000 of these heavy beasts are killed annually,
From where many tusks are found in the Indies.

” and if the multitude of elephant tusks can serve as proof of this, the large number that is carried annually to the Indies protects them from being considered untruthful in this.

Gold mines at Sofala.

” The gold mines of this land, which are situated next to Sofala, are those which they call Manica,