ThefortofMassanganoissmall,butingoodrepair;itcontainssomeveryancientguns,whichwereloadedfromthebreech,andmusthavebeenformidableweaponsintheirtimeThenativesofthiscountryentertainaremarkabledreadofgreatguns,andthistendsmuchtothepermanenceofthePortugueseauthorityTheydreadacannongreatly,thoughthecarriagebesorottenthatitwouldfalltopiecesatthefirstshot;thefortofPungoAndongoiskeptsecurelybycannonperchedoncrosssticksalone!
MassanganowasaveryimportanttownatthetimetheDutchheldforciblepossessionofLoandaandpartofAngola;butwhen,intheyear1648,theDutchwereexpelledfromthiscountrybyasmallbodyofPortuguese,undertheGovernorSalvadorCorreadeSaBenevides,MassanganowaslefttosinkintoitspresentdecaySinceitwaspartiallyabandonedbythePortuguese,severalbaobab-treeshavesprungupandattainedadiameterofeighteenortwentyinches,andareabouttwentyfeethigh。
Nocertainconclusioncanbedrawnfromtheseinstances,asitisnotknownatwhattimeafter1648theybegantogrow;buttheirpresentsizeshowsthattheirgrowthisnotunusuallyslow。
Severalfiresoccurredduringourstay,bythethatchhaving,throughlongexposuretoatorridsun,becomeliketinder。
Theroofsbecameignitedwithoutanyvisiblecauseexcepttheintensesolarrays,andexcitedterrorinthemindsoftheinhabitants,astheslightestsparkcarriedbythewindwouldhavesetthewholetowninablazeThereisnotasingleinscriptiononstonevisibleinMassangano。
Ifdestroyedto-morrow,noonecouldtellwhereitandmostPortugueseinteriorvillagesstood,anymorethanwecandothoseoftheBalonda。
DuringtheoccupationofthistowntheCoanzawasusedforthepurposeofnavigation,buttheirvesselsweresofrequentlyplunderedbytheirDutchneighborsthat,whentheyregainedthegoodportofLoanda,theynolongermadeuseoftheriverWeremainedherefourdays,inhopesofobtaininganobservationforthelongitude,butatthisseasonoftheyeartheskyisalmostconstantlyovercastbyathickcanopyofcloudsofamilk-and-waterhue;thiscontinuesuntiltherainyseasonwhichwasnowcloseathandcommences。
ThelandsonthenorthsideoftheCoanzabelongtotheQuisamasKisamas,anindependenttribe,whichthePortuguesehavenotbeenabletosubdue。
ThefewwhocameundermyobservationpossessedmuchoftheBushmanorHottentotfeature,andweredressedinstripsofsoftbarkhangingfromthewaisttothekneeTheydeallargelyinsalt,whichtheircountryproducesingreatabundanceItisbroughtincrystalsofabout12incheslongand1-1/2indiameter。
ThisishawkedabouteverywhereinAngola,and,nexttocalico,isthemostcommonmediumofbarterTheKisamaarebrave;
andwhenthePortuguesearmyfollowedthemintotheirforests,theyreducedtheinvaderstoextremitybytappingallthereservoirsofwater,whichwerenootherthantheenormousbaobabsofthecountryhollowedintocisternsAstheKisamacountryisillsuppliedwithwaterotherwise,thePortugueseweresoonobligedtoretreatTheircountry,lyingneartoMassangano,islowandmarshy,butbecomesmoreelevatedinthedistance,andbeyondthemlietheloftydarkmountainrangesoftheLibollo,anotherpowerfulandindependentpeopleNearMassanganoIobservedwhatseemedtobeaneffortofnaturetofurnishavarietyofdomesticfowls,morecapablethanthecommonkindofbearingtheheatofthesun。
Thiswasahenandchickenswithalltheirfeatherscurledupward,thusgivingshadetothebodywithoutincreasingtheheat。
Theyareherenamed“Kisafu“bythenativepopulation,whopayahighpriceforthemwhentheywishtoofferthemasasacrifice,andbythePortuguesetheyaretermed“Arripiada“,orshivering。
ThereseemstobeatendencyinnaturetoaffordvarietiesadaptedtotheconvenienceofmanAkindofveryshort-leggedfowlamongtheBoerswasobtained,inconsequenceofobservingthatsuchweremoreeasilycaughtfortransportationintheirfrequentremovalsinsearchofpastureAsimilarinstanceofsecuringavarietyoccurredwiththeshort-limbedsheepinAmerica。
ReturningbyascendingtheLucallaintoCazengo,wehadanopportunityofvisitingseveralflourishingcoffeeplantations,andobservedthatseveralmen,whohadbegunwithnocapitalbuthonestindustry,had,inthecourseofafewyears,acquiredacomfortablesubsistenceOneofthese,MrPinto,generouslyfurnishedmewithagoodsupplyofhisexcellentcoffee,andmymenwithabreedofrabbitstocarrytotheirowncountry。
Theirlands,grantedbygovernment,yielded,withoutmuchlabor,coffeesufficientforallthenecessariesoflife。
Thefactofotheravenuesofwealthopeningupsoreadilyseemslikeaprovidentialinvitationtoforsaketheslave-tradeandengageinlawfulcommerceWesawthefemalepopulationoccupied,asusual,inthespinningofcottonandcultivationoftheirlands。
Theironlyinstrumentforcultureisadouble-handledhoe,whichisworkedwithasortofdraggingmotionManyofthemenwereemployedinweaving。
Thelatterappeartobelessindustriousthantheformer,fortheyrequireamonthtofinishasinglewebThereis,however,notmuchinducementtoindustry,for,notwithstandingthetimeconsumedinitsmanufacture,eachwebissoldforonlytwoshillings。
OnreturningtoGolungoAltoIfoundseveralofmymenlaidupwithfever。
OneofthereasonsformyleavingthemtherewasthattheymightrecoverfromthefatigueofthejourneyfromLoanda,whichhadmuchmoreeffectupontheirfeetthanhundredsofmileshadonourwaywestward。
Theyhadalwaysbeenaccustomedtomoistureintheirownwell-wateredland,andwecertainlyhadasuperabundanceofthatinLoandaTheroads,however,fromLoandatoGolungoAltowerebothhardanddry,andtheysufferedseverelyinconsequence;yettheywerecomposingsongstobesungwhentheyshouldreachhomeTheArgonautswerenothingtothem;
andtheyremarkedveryimpressivelytome,“ItwaswellyoucamewithMakololo,fornotribecouldhavedonewhatwehaveaccomplishedincomingtothewhiteman’scountry:wearethetrueancients,whocantellwonderfulthings。”Twoofthemnowhadfeverinthecontinuedform,andbecamejaundiced,thewhitesorconjunctivalmembraneoftheireyesbecomingasyellowassaffron;andathirdsufferedfromanattackofmania。
Hecametohiscompanionsoneday,andsaid,“Remainwell。
Iamcalledawaybythegods!”andsetoffatthetopofhisspeed。
Theyoungmencaughthimbeforehehadgoneamile,andboundhim。
BygentletreatmentandwatchingforafewdaysherecoveredIhaveobservedseveralinstancesofthiskindinthecountry,butveryfewcasesofidiocy,andIbelievethatcontinuedinsanityisrare。
Chapter21。
VisitadesertedConventFavorableReportofJesuitsandtheirTeachingGradationsofnativeSocietyPunishmentofThieves
Palm-toddy;itsbanefulEffectsFreemasonsMarriagesandFunerals
LitigationMrCanto’sIllnessBadBehaviorofhisSlaves
AnEntertainmentIdeasonFreeLaborLossofAmericanCotton-seed
AbundanceofCottoninthecountrySicknessofSekeletu’sHorse
EclipseoftheSunInsectswhichdistillWater
ExperimentswiththemProceedtoAmbacaSicklySeason
OfficeofCommandantPunishmentofofficialDelinquents
PresentfromMrSchutofLoandaVisitPungoAndongo
ItsgoodPasturage,Grain,Fruit,etcTheFortandcolumnarRocks
TheQueenofJingaSalubrityofPungoAndongoPriceofaSlave
AMerchant-princeHisHospitalityHearoftheLossofmyPapersin“Forerunner“NarrowEscapefromanAlligator
AncientBurial-placesNeglectofAgricultureinAngola
ManiocthestapleProductItsCheapnessSickness
FriendlyVisitfromacoloredPriestThePrinceofCongo
NoPriestsintheInteriorofAngola。
Whilewaitingfortherecoveryofmymen,Ivisited,incompanywithmyfriendMrCanto,thedesertedconventofStHilarion,atBango,afewmilesnorthwestofGolungoAltoItissituatedinamagnificentvalley,containingapopulationnumbering4000hearths。
ThisistheabodeoftheSova,orChiefBango,whostillholdsaplaceofauthorityunderthePortugueseThegardenoftheconvent,thechurch,anddormitoriesofthebrethrenarestillkeptinagoodstateofrepairIlookedatthefurniture,couches,andlargechestsforholdingtheprovisionsofthebrotherhoodwithinterest,andwouldfainhavelearnedsomethingoftheformeroccupants;
butallthebooksandsacredvesselshadlatelybeenremovedtoLoanda,andeventhegravesofthegoodmenstandwithoutanyrecord:
theirresting-placesare,however,carefullytended。
AllspeakwelloftheJesuitsandothermissionaries,astheCapuchins,etc。,forhavingattendeddiligentlytotheinstructionofthechildren。
Theyweresupposedtohaveatendencytotakethepartofthepeopleagainstthegovernment,andweresupplantedbypriests,concerningwhomnoregretisexpressedthattheywereallowedtodieout。
Inviewingthepresentfruitsofformermissions,itisimpossiblenottofeelassuredthat,iftheJesuitteachinghasbeensopermanent,thatofProtestants,wholeavetheBibleinthehandsoftheirconverts,willnotbelessabidingThechiefBangohasbuiltalargetwo-storyhouseclosebytheconvent,butsuperstitiousfearspreventhimfromsleepinginit。
ThePortuguesetakeadvantageofallthegradationsintowhichnativesocietyhasdivideditselfThisman,forinstance,isstillasovaorchief,hashiscouncilors,andmaintainsthesamestateaswhenthecountrywasindependentWhenanyofhispeopleareguiltyoftheft,hepaysdowntheamountofgoodsstolenatonce,andreimburseshimselfoutofthepropertyofthethiefsoeffectuallyastobebenefitedbythetransactionThepeopleunderhimaredividedintoanumberofclasses。
Therearehiscouncilors,asthehighest,whoaregenerallyheadmenofseveralvillages,andthecarriers,thelowestfreemen。
Oneclassabovethelastobtainstheprivilegeofwearingshoesfromthechiefbypayingforit;another,thesoldiersormilitia,payfortheprivilegeofserving,theadvantagebeingthattheyarenotafterwardliabletobemadecarriersTheyarealsodividedintogentlemenandlittlegentlemen,and,thoughquiteblack,speakofthemselvesaswhitemen,andoftheothers,whomaynotwearshoes,as“blacks“Themenofalltheseclassestrusttotheirwivesforfood,andspendmostoftheirtimeindrinkingthepalm-toddyThistoddyisthejuiceofthepalm-oil-tree`ElaeisGuineensis’,which,whentapped,yieldsasweet,clearliquid,notatallintoxicatingwhilefresh,but,whenallowedtostandtilltheafternoon,causesinebriationandmanycrimes。
Thistoddy,calledmalova,isthebaneofthecountryCulpritsarecontinuallybroughtbeforethecommandantsforassaultscommittedthroughitsinfluenceMencomeupwithdeepgashesontheirheads;
andone,whohadburnedhisfather’shouse,IsawmakingaprofoundbowtoMrCanto,andvolunteeringtoexplainwhyhedidthedeed。
Thereisalsoasortoffraternityoffreemasons,namedEmpacasseiros,intowhichnooneisadmittedunlessheisanexperthunter,andcanshootwellwiththegunTheyaredistinguishedbyafilletofbuffalohidearoundtheirheads,andareemployedasmessengersinallcasesrequiringexpressTheyareverytrustworthy,and,whenonactiveservice,formthebestnativetroopsthePortuguesepossess。
Themilitiaareofnovalueassoldiers,butcostthecountrynothing,beingsupportedbytheirwivesTheirdutiesarechieflytoguardtheresidencesofcommandants,andtoactaspolice。
ThechiefrecreationsofthenativesofAngolaaremarriagesandfunerals。
Whenayoungwomanisabouttobemarried,sheisplacedinahutaloneandanointedwithvariousunguents,andmanyincantationsareemployedinordertosecuregoodfortuneandfruitfulnessHere,asalmosteverywhereinthesouth,theheightofgoodfortuneistobearsons。
Theyoftenleaveahusbandaltogetheriftheyhavedaughtersonly。
Intheirdances,whenanyonemaywishtoderideanother,intheaccompanyingsongalineisintroduced,“Soandsohasnochildren,andneverwillgetany。”Shefeelstheinsultsokeenlythatitisnotuncommonforhertorushawayandcommitsuicide。