Remarks on Delagoa Bay, a large harbour situated on the south-east coast of Africa, and on the country and nations adjoining it

Abstract

This report, by a 'Naval Officer' and communicated by Mr Jardine, provides a detailed account of Delagoa Bay (now Maputo Bay) on the southeast coast of Africa, based on naval exploration in the early nineteenth century. The author describes the physical geography and hydrography of the bay, including its rivers, sandbanks, harbours, and navigational features. Substantial ethnographic observations are made on the surrounding nations and chiefdoms—Inyack, Mapoota, Temley (Temby), and others—covering their political organisation, customs, trade systems, and relations with European powers, particularly the Portuguese. The document records the 1823 cession of the territories of Temley and Mapoota to Great Britain under King Kapell (Mayett), highlighting the complex interplay of local sovereignty, European colonial competition, and maritime interests. The report also provides insight into agricultural practices, natural resources, and the social life of the inhabitants, including the rise of the martial Veterah people and the shifting power dynamics along the Delagoa coast.