Theclayeysoilformedbythedisintegrationofthemicaschistandtrapisthefavoritesoilforthecoffee;anditisonthesemountainsides,andotherspossessingasimilarredclaysoil,thatthisplanthaspropagateditselfsowidelyThemeadow-landsadjacenttotheSenzaandCoanzabeingunderlaidbythatmarlytufawhichaboundstowardthecoast,andcontainingthesameshells,showthat,previoustotheelevationofthatsideofthecountry,thisregionpossessedsomedeeply-indentedbays。
28THSEPTEMBER,KALUNGWEMBOWewerestillonthesamepathbywhichwehadcome,and,therebeingnomosquitoes,wecouldnowbetterenjoythesceneryRangesofhillsoccupybothsidesofourpath,andthefinelevelroadisadornedwithabeautifulredflowernamedBolcamariaThemarketsorsleeping-placesarewellsuppliedwithprovisionsbygreatnumbersofwomen,everyoneofwhomisseenspinningcottonwithaspindleanddistaff,exactlylikethosewhichwereinuseamongtheancientEgyptiansAwomanisscarcelyeverseengoingtothefields,thoughwithapotonherhead,achildonherback,andthehoeoverhershoulder,butsheisemployedinthisway。
Thecottonwasbroughttothemarketforsale,andIboughtapoundforapennyThiswasthepricedemanded,andprobablydoublewhattheyaskfromeachotherWesawthecottongrowingluxuriantlyallaroundthemarket-placesfromseedsdroppedaccidentally。
Itisseenalsoaboutthenativehuts,and,sofarasIcouldlearn,itwastheAmericancotton,soinfluencedbyclimateastobeperennial。
Wemetintheroadnativespassingwithbundlesofcops,orspindlesfullofcottonthread,andthesetheywerecarryingtootherpartstobewovenintoclothThewomenarethespinners,andthemenperformtheweavingEachwebisabout5feetlong,and15or18incheswide。
Theloomisofthesimplestconstruction,beingnothingbuttwobeamsplacedoneovertheother,thewebstandingperpendicularly。
Thethreadsofthewebareseparatedbymeansofathinwoodenlath,andthewoofpassedthroughbymeansofthespindleonwhichithasbeenwoundinspinning。
ThemodeofspinningandweavinginAngola,and,indeed,throughoutSouthCentralAfrica,issoverylikethesameoccupationsinthehandsoftheancientEgyptians,thatIintroduceawoodcutfromtheinterestingworkofSirGardnerWilkinsonThelowerfiguresareengagedinspinningintherealAfricanmethod,andtheweaversintheleft-handcornerhavetheirwebintheAngolesefashion。*
*Unfortunately,thiswoodcutcannotberepresentedinthisASCIItext。
Thecaptionreads,`AncientSpinningandWeaving,perpetuatedinAfricaatthepresentdayFromWilkinson’s“AncientEgyptians“,p85,86。’
Theweb,orclothontheloom,mentioned,hastheverticalthreads,orthewarp,hanging,perhapsfivefeet,fromahorizontalbeam。
ThewoofispassedthroughfromsidetosideAL。,1997。
Numbersofotherarticlesarebroughtforsaletothesesleeping-places。
ThenativesmithstherecarryontheirtradeIboughttenverygoodtable-knives,madeofcountryiron,fortwopenceeach。
Laborisextremelycheap,forIwasassuredthatevencarpenters,masons,smiths,etc。,mightbehiredforfourpenceaday,andagriculturistswouldgladlyworkforhalfthatsum。*
*Inorderthatthereadermayunderstandthesocialpositionofthepeopleofthiscountry,IheregivethecensusofthedistrictofGolungoAltofortheyear1854,thoughthenumbersareevidentlynotallfurnished:
Thesepeoplepossess300idol-houses,600sheep,5000goats,500oxen,398gardens,25,120hearthsTheauthoritiesfindgreatdifficultyingettingthepeopletofurnishacorrectaccountoftheirnumbers。
Thiscensusisquotedmerelyforthepurposeofgivingageneralideaoftheemploymentsoftheinhabitants。
ThefollowingistakenfromthecensusofIcolloiBengo,andisaddedforasimilarreason:
3232livingwithoutthemarriagetieAllthosewhohavenotbeenmarriedbyapriestaresodistinguished。
Thecattleinthedistrictare:10asses,401oxen,492cows,3933sheep,1699goats,909swine;andasanannualtaxisleviedofsixpenceperheadonallstock,itisprobablethatthereturnsarelessthanthereality。
Beinganxioustoobtainsomemoreknowledgeofthisinterestingcountryanditsancientmissionaryestablishmentsthanthelineofroutebywhichwehadcomeafforded,IresolvedtovisitthetownofMassangano,whichissituatedtothesouthofGolungoAlto,andattheconfluenceoftheriversLucallaandCoanzaThisledmetopassthroughthedistrictofCazengo,whichisratherfamousfortheabundanceandexcellenceofitscoffeeExtensivecoffeeplantationswerefoundtoexistonthesidesoftheseveralloftymountainsthatcomposethisdistrictTheywerenotplantedbythePortuguese。
TheJesuitandothermissionariesareknowntohavebroughtsomeofthefineoldMochaseed,andthesehavepropagatedthemselvesfarandwide;hencetheexcellenceoftheAngolacoffee。
Somehaveassertedthat,asnewplantationswereconstantlydiscoveredevenduringtheperiodofourvisit,thecoffee-treewasindigenous;
butthefactthatpine-apples,bananas,yams,orange-trees,custardapple-trees,pitangas,guavas,andotherSouthAmericantrees,werefoundbymeinthesamelocalitieswiththerecently-discoveredcoffee,wouldseemtoindicatethatallforeigntreesmusthavebeenintroducedbythesameagencyItisknownthattheJesuitsalsointroducedmanyothertreesforthesakeoftheirtimberaloneNumbersofthesehavespreadoverthecountry,somehaveprobablydiedout,andothersfailedtospread,likealonelyspecimenwhichstandsinwhatwastheBotanicGardenofLoanda,and,thoughmostusefulinyieldingasubstituteforfrankincense,istheonlyoneofthekindinAfrica。
Acircumstancewhichwouldfacilitatetheextensivepropagationofthecoffeeontheproperclaysoilisthis:Theseed,whenburiedbeneaththesoil,generallydies,whilethatwhichissownbroadcast,withnocoveringexcepttheshadeofthetrees,vegetatesreadilyTheagentinsowinginthiscaseisabird,whicheatstheouterrind,andthrowsthekernelonthegroundThisplantcannotbearthedirectraysofthesun;
consequently,whenanumberofthetreesarediscoveredintheforest,allthatisnecessaryistoclearawaythebrushwood,andleaveasmanyofthetallforest-treesaswillaffordgoodshadetothecoffee-plantsbelowThefortunatediscovererhasthenaflourishingcoffeeplantation。
Thisdistrict,smallthoughitbe,havingonlyapopulationof13,822,ofwhomtenonlyarewhite,neverthelessyieldsanannualtributetothegovernmentofthirteenhundredcottoncloths,each5feetby18or20inches,oftheirowngrowthandmanufacture。
AccompaniedbythecommandantofCazengo,whowaswellacquaintedwiththispartofthecountry,IproceededinacanoedowntheRiverLucallatoMassanganoThisriverisabout85yardswide,andnavigableforcanoesfromitsconfluencewiththeCoanzatoaboutsixmilesabovethepointwhereitreceivestheLuinhaNearthislatterpointstandthestrong,massiveruinsofanironfoundry,erectedinthetimes1768andbytheorderofthefamousMarquisofPombal。
Thewholeofthebuildingswereconstructedofstone,cementedwithoilandlimeThedamforwater-powerwasmadeofthesamematerials,and27feethighThishadbeenbrokenthroughbyaflood,andsolidblocks,manyyardsinlength,werecarrieddownthestream,affordinganinstructiveexampleofthetransportingpowerofwater。
Therewasnothingintheappearanceoftheplacetoindicateunhealthiness;
buteightSpanishandSwedishworkmen,beingbroughthitherforthepurposeofinstructingthenativesintheartofsmeltingiron,soonfellvictimstodiseaseand“irregularities“Theeffortofthemarquistoimprovethemodeofmanufacturingironwasthusrenderedabortive。
Laborandsubsistenceare,however,soverycheapthatalmostanyamountofworkcanbeexecuted,atacostthatrendersexpensiveestablishmentsunnecessary。
Apartyofnativeminersandsmithsisstillkeptintheemploymentofthegovernment,who,workingtherichblackmagneticironore,produceforthegovernmentfrom480to500barsofgoodmalleableironeverymonthTheyaresupportedbytheappropriationofafewthousandsofasmallfresh-waterfish,called“Cacusu“,aportionofthetaxlevieduponthefishermenoftheCoanzaThisfishissomuchrelishedinthecountrythatthosewhodonotwishtoeatthemcaneasilyconvertthemintomoney。
ThecommandantofthedistrictofMassangano,forinstance,hasarighttoadishofthreehundredeverymorning,aspartofhissalary。
Shell-fisharealsofoundintheCoanza,andthe“Peixemulher“,orwoman-fishofthePortuguese,whichisprobablyaManatee。
ThebanksoftheLucallaareverypretty,wellplantedwithorange-trees,bananas,andthepalm`ElaeisGuineensis’whichyieldstheoilofcommerce。
Largeplantationsofmaize,manioc,andtobaccoareseenalongbothbanks,whichareenlivenedbythefrequentappearanceofnativehousesimbosomedindenseshadygroves,withlittleboysandgirlsplayingaboutthemThebanksaresteep,thewaterhavingcutoutitsbedindarkredalluvialsoilBeforeeverycottageasmallstageiserected,towhichtheinhabitantsmaydescendtodrawwaterwithoutdangerfromthealligatorsSomehavealittlepalisademadeinthewaterforsafetyfromthesereptiles,andothersusetheshellofthefruitofthebaobab-treeattachedtoapoleabouttenfeetlong,withwhich,whilestandingonthehighbank,theymaydrawwaterwithoutfearofaccident。
Manyclimbingplantsrunuptheloftysilk,cotton,andbaobabtrees,andhangtheirbeautifulflowersingayfestoonsonthebranches。
AsweapproachMassangano,thelandonbothbanksoftheLucallabecomesverylevel,andlargeportionsareleftmarshyaftertheannualfloods;
butallisveryfertileAsanillustrationofthestrengthofthesoil,Imaystatethatwesawtobacco-plantsingardensneartheconfluenceeightfeethigh,andeachplanthadthirty-sixleaves,whichwereeighteenincheslongbysixoreightinchesbroad。
ButitisnotapastoraldistrictInourdescentweobservedthetsetse,andconsequentlythepeoplehadnodomesticanimalssavegoats。
WefoundthetownofMassanganoonatongueofratherhighland,formedbytheleftbankoftheLucallaandrightbankoftheCoanza,andreceivedtruePortuguesehospitalityfromSenhorLubata。
Thetownhasmorethanathousandinhabitants;thedistricthas28,063,withonly315slavesItstandsonamoundofcalcareoustufa,containinggreatnumbersoffossilshells,themostrecentofwhichresemblethosefoundinthemarlytufaclosetothecoast。
Thefortstandsonthesouthsideofthetown,onahighperpendicularbankoverhangingtheCoanzaThisriverishereanoblestream,aboutahundredandfiftyyardswide,admittingnavigationinlargecanoesfromthebaratitsmouthtoCambambe,somethirtymilesabovethistown。
There,afinewaterfallhindersfartherascentTenortwelvelargecanoesladenwithcountryproducepassMassanganoeverydayFourgalleonswereconstructedhereaslongagoas1650,whichmusthavebeenofgoodsize,fortheycrossedtheoceantoRioJaneiro。
Massanganodistrictiswelladaptedforsugarandrice,whileCambambeisaverysuperiorfieldforcotton;butthebaratthemouthoftheCoanzawouldpreventtheapproachofasteamerintothisdesirableregion,thoughasmallonecouldplyonitwitheasewhenonceinItisprobablethattheobjectsofthosewhoattemptedtomakeacanalfromCalumbotoLoandawerenotmerelytosupplythatcitywithfreshwater,buttoaffordfacilitiesfortransportationTheremainsofthecanalshowittohavebeenmadeonascalesuitedfortheCoanzacanoes。
ThePortuguesebegananotheronasmallerscalein1811,and,afterthreeyears’labor,hadfinishedonly6000yards。
Nothinggreatorusefulwilleverbeeffectedheresolongasmencomemerelytogetrich,andthenreturntoPortugal。
ThelatitudeofthetownandfortofMassanganois9d37’46“S。,beingnearlythesameasthatofCassangeThecountrybetweenLoandaandthispointbeingcomparativelyflat,arailroadmightbeconstructedatsmallexpense。
ThelevelcountryisprolongedalongthenorthbankoftheCoanzatotheedgeoftheCassangebasin,andarailwaycarriedthitherwouldbeconvenientforthetransportoftheproductsoftherichdistrictsofCassange,PungoAndongo,Ambaca,Cambambe,GolungoAlto,Cazengo,Muchima,andCalumbo;inaword,thewholeofAngolaandindependenttribesadjacenttothiskingdom。
ThePortuguesemerchantsgenerallylooktoforeignenterpriseandtotheirowngovernmentforthemeansbywhichthisameliorationmightbeeffected;but,asIalwaysstatedtothemwhenconversingonthesubject,foreigncapitalistswouldneverruntherisk,unlesstheysawtheAngolesedoingsomethingforthemselves,andthelawssoalteredthatthesubjectsofothernationsshouldenjoythesameprivilegesinthecountrywiththemselves。
ThegovernmentofPortugalhasindeedshownawiseandliberalpolicybyitspermissionforthealienationofthecrownlandsinAngola;
butthelawgivingiteffectissofencedroundwithlimitations,andsodelugedwithverbiage,thattoplainpeopleitseemsanythingbutastraightforwardlicensetoforeignerstobecome`bonafide’landholdersandcultivatorsofthesoilAtpresentthetollspaidonthedifferentlinesofroadsforferriesandbridgesareequaltotheinterestoflargesumsofmoney,thoughbutasmallamounthasbeenexpendedinmakingavailableroads。
TherearetwochurchesandahospitalinruinsatMassangano;
andtheremainsoftwoconventsarepointedout,oneofwhichissaidtohavebeenanestablishmentofblackBenedictines,which,ifsuccessful,consideringthematerialsthebrethrenhadtoworkon,musthavebeenalaboriousundertakingThereisneitherpriestnorschoolmasterinthetown,butIwaspleasedtoobserveanumberofchildrentaughtbyoneoftheinhabitants。
ThecultivatedlandsattachedtoalltheseconventualestablishmentsinAngolaarenowrentedbythegovernmentofLoanda,andthitherthebishoplatelyremovedallthegoldandsilvervesselsbelongingtothem。