Inthecountryneartothisstationwerealargenumberoftheancientburial-placesoftheJingaThesearesimplylargemoundsofstones,withdrinkingandcookingvesselsofrudepotteryonthemSomearearrangedinacircularform,twoorthreeyardsindiameter,andshapedlikeahaycock。
  ThereisnotasinglevestigeofanyinscriptionThenativesofAngolagenerallyhaveastrangepredilectionforbringingtheirdeadtothesidesofthemostfrequentedpathsTheyhaveaparticularanxietytosecurethepointwherecross-roadsmeetOnandaroundthegravesareplantedtreeeuphorbiasandotherspeciesofthatfamily。
  Onthegraveitselftheyalsoplacewater-bottles,brokenpipes,cookingvessels,andsometimesalittlebowandarrow。
  ThePortuguesegovernment,wishingtopreventthiscustom,affixedapenaltyonanyoneburyingintheroads,andappointedplacesofpublicsepultureineverydistrictinthecountryThepeoplepersist,however,inspiteofthemoststringentenforcementofthelaw,tofollowtheirancientcustom。
  ThecountrybetweentheCoanzaandPungoAndongoiscoveredwithlowtrees,bushes,andfinepasturageInthelatter,wewerepleasedtoseeouroldacquaintances,thegaudygladiolus,Amaryllistoxicaria,hymanthus,andotherbulbsinasflourishingaconditionasattheCape。
  ItissurprisingthatsolittlehasbeendoneinthewayofagricultureinAngolaRaisingwheatbymeansofirrigationhasneverbeentried;
  noplowiseverused;andtheonlyinstrumentisthenativehoe,inthehandsofslavesThechiefobjectofagricultureisthemanioc,whichdoesnotcontainnutrimentsufficienttogiveproperstaminatothepeopleThehalf-castePortuguesehavenotsomuchenergyastheirfathersTheysubsistchieflyonthemanioc,and,asthatcanbeeateneitherraw,roasted,orboiled,asitcomesfromtheground;orfermentedinwater,andthenroastedordriedafterfermentation,andbakedorpoundedintofinemeal;
  orraspedintomealandcookedasfarina;ormadeintoconfectionarywithbutterandsugar,itdoesnotsosoonpalluponthepalateasonemightimagine,whentoldthatitconstitutestheirprincipalfood。
  Theleavesboiledmakeanexcellentvegetableforthetable;and,wheneatenbygoats,theirmilkismuchincreasedThewoodisagoodfuel,andyieldsalargequantityofpotashIfplantedinadrysoil,ittakestwoyearstocometoperfection,requiring,duringthattime,oneweedingonlyItbearsdroughtwell,andnevershrivelsup,likeotherplants,whendeprivedofrainWhenplantedinlowalluvialsoils,andeitherwellsuppliedwithrainorannuallyflooded,twelve,oreventenmonths,aresufficienttobringittomaturity。
  Therootraspedwhileraw,placeduponacloth,andrubbedwiththehandswhilewaterispoureduponit,partswithitsstarchyglutinousmatter,andthis,whenitsettlesatthebottomofthevessel,andthewaterpouredoff,isplacedinthesuntillnearlydry,toformtapioca。
  Theprocessofdryingiscompletedonanironplateoveraslowfire,themassbeingstirredmeanwhilewithastick,andwhenquitedryitappearsagglutinatedintolittleglobules,andisintheformweseethetapiocaofcommerceThisisnevereatenbyweevils,andsolittlelaborisrequiredinitscultivationthatonthespotitisextremelycheapThroughouttheinteriorpartsofAngola,finemaniocmeal,whichcouldwitheasehavebeenconvertedeitherintosuperiorstarchortapioca,iscommonlysoldattherateofabouttenpoundsforapennyAllthisregion,however,hasnomeansoftransporttoLoandaotherthantheshouldersofthecarriersandslavesoverafootpath。
  Cambambe,towhichthenavigationoftheCoanzareaches,isreportedtobethirtyleaguesbelowPungoAndongo。
  Alargewaterfallisthelimitonthatside;andanotherexistshigherup,attheconfluenceoftheLombelat9d41’26“S。,andaboutlong16dE。,overwhichhippopotamiandelephantsaresometimesdrawnandkilled。
  Theriverbetweenisrapid,andgenerallyrushesoverarockybottom。
  ItssourceispointedoutasS。EorS。S。EofitsconfluencewiththeLombe,andnearBiheThesituationofBiheisnotwellknown。
  WhenatSanzawewereassuredthatitliesnearlysouthofthatpoint,andeightdaysdistantThisstatementseemedtobecorroboratedbyourmeetingmanypeoplegoingtoMatiamvoandtoLoandafromBihe。
  BothpartieshadcometoSanza,andthenbranchedoff,onetotheeast,theothertothewestThesourceoftheCoanzaisthusprobablynotfarfromSanza。
  Ihadthehappinessofdoingalittlegoodinthewayofadministeringtothesick,fortherearenodoctorsintheinteriorofAngola。
  Notwithstandingthegeneralhealthinessofthisfinedistrictanditspleasanttemperature,Iwasattackedbyfevermyself。
  Whileconfinedtomyroom,agentlemanofcolor,acanonoftheChurch,kindlypaidmeavisitHewasonatourofvisitationinthedifferentinteriordistrictsforthepurposeofbaptizingandmarrying。
  HehadlatelybeenonavisittoLisbonincompanywiththePrinceofCongo,andhadbeeninvestedwithanorderofhonorbytheKingofPortugalasanacknowledgmentofhisservicesHehadalltheappearanceofatruenegro,butcommandedtherespectofthepeople;andColonelP。,whohadknownhimforthirtyyears,pronouncedhimtobeagoodman。
  ThereareonlythreeorfourpriestsinLoanda,allmenofcolor,buteducatedfortheofficeAboutthetimeofmyjourneyinAngola,anofferwasmadetoanyyoungmenofabilitywhomightwishtodevotethemselvestotheserviceoftheChurch,toaffordthemtherequisiteeducationattheUniversityofCoimbrainPortugal。
  Iwasinformed,onwhatseemedgoodauthority,thatthePrinceofCongoisprofessedlyaChristian,andthattherearenofewerthantwelvechurchesinthatkingdom,thefruitsofthemissionestablishedinformertimesatSanSalvador,thecapitalThesechurchesarekeptinpartialrepairbythepeople,whoalsokeepuptheceremoniesoftheChurch,pronouncingsomegibberishoverthedead,inimitationoftheLatinprayerswhichtheyhadformerlyheardManyofthemcanreadandwrite。
  WhenaKingofCongodies,thebodyiswrappedupinagreatmanyfoldsofclothuntilapriestcancomefromLoandatoconsecratehissuccessorTheKingofCongostillretainsthetitleofLordofAngola,whichhehadwhentheJinga,theoriginalpossessorsofthesoil,owedhimallegiance;and,whenhewritestotheGovernorofAngola,heplaceshisownnamefirst,asifaddressinghisvassal。
  TheJingapaidhimtributeannuallyincowries,whichwerefoundontheislandthatsheltersLoandaharbor,and,onrefusingtocontinuepayment,theKingofCongogaveovertheislandtothePortuguese,andthustheirdominioncommencedinthisquarter。
  ThereisnotmuchknowledgeoftheChristianreligionineitherCongoorAngola,yetitislookeduponwithacertaindegreeoffavor。
  TheprevalenceoffeverisprobablythereasonwhynopriestoccupiesapostinanypartoftheinteriorTheycomeontoursofvisitationlikethatmentioned,anditissaidthatnoexpenseisincurred,forallthepeoplearereadynotonlytopayfortheirservices,butalsotofurnisheveryarticleintheirpowergratuitously。
  Inviewofthedesolateconditionofthisfinemissionaryfield,itismorethanprobablethatthepresenceofafewProtestantswouldsoonprovokethepriests,ifnottolove,togoodworks。
  Chapter22。
  LeavePungoAndongoExtentofPortuguesePower
  MeetTradersandCarriersRedAnts;theirfierceAttack;
  Usefulness;NumbersDescendtheHeightsofTalaMungongo
  Fruit-treesintheValleyofCassangeEdibleMuscle
  BirdsCassangeVillageQuinineandCathory
  SicknessofCaptainNeves’InfantADivinerthrashed
  DeathoftheChildMourningLossofLifefromtheOrdeal
  Wide-spreadSuperstitionsTheChieftainshipCharms
  ReceiveCopiesofthe“Times“TradingPombeiros
  PresentforMatiamvoFeverafterwesterlyWindsCapabilitiesofAngolaforproducingtherawMaterialsofEnglishManufacture
  TradingPartieswithIvoryMoreFeverAHyaena’sChoice
  MakololoOpinionofthePortugueseCypriano’sDebtAFuneral
  DreadofdisembodiedSpiritsBeautifulMorningScenes
  CrossingtheQuangoAmbakistascalled“TheJewsofAngola“
  FashionsoftheBashinjeApproachtheVillageofSansawe
  HisIdeaofDignityThePombeiros’PresentLongDetention
  ABlowontheBeardAttackedinaForestSuddenConversionofafightingChieftoPeacePrinciplesbymeansofaRevolver
  NoBloodshedinconsequenceRateofTravelingSlaveWomen
  WayofaddressingSlavesTheirthievishPropensities
  FeedersoftheCongoorZaireObligedtorefusePresents
  CrosstheLoajimaAppearanceofPeople;HairFashions。
  JANUARY1,1855Having,throughthekindnessofColonelPires,reproducedsomeofmylostpapers,IleftPungoAndongothefirstdayofthisyear,andatCandumba,sleptinoneofthedairyestablishmentsofmyfriend,whohadsentforwardordersforanamplesupplyofbutter,cheese,andmilkOurpathlayalongtherightbankoftheCoanzaThisiscomposedofthesamesandstonerock,withpebbles,whichformstheflooringofthecountryThelandislevel,hasmuchopenforest,andiswelladaptedforpasturage。
  OnreachingtheconfluenceoftheLombe,welefttheriver,andproceededinanortheasterlydirection,throughafineopengreencountry,tothevillageofMalange,wherewestruckintoourformerpath。
  AfewmilestothewestofthisapathbranchesofftoanewdistrictnamedtheDukeBraganzaThispathcrossestheLucallaandseveralofitsfeeders。
  Thewholeofthecountrydrainedbytheseisdescribedasextremelyfertile。
  TheterritorywestofBraganzaisreportedtobemountainous,wellwoodedandwatered;wildcoffeeisabundant,andthepeopleevenmaketheirhutsofcoffee-treesTheriversDande,Senza,andLucallaaresaidtoriseinonemountainrangeNumeroustribesinhabitthecountrytothenorth,whoareallindependentThePortuguesepowerextendschieflyoverthetribesthroughwhoselandswehavepassed。
  ItmaybesaidtobefirmlyseatedonlybetweentheriversDandeandCoanza。
  ItextendsinlandaboutthreehundredmilestotheRiverQuango;
  andthepopulation,accordingtotheimperfectdataaffordedbythecensus,givenannuallybythecommandantsofthefifteenorsixteendistrictsintowhichitisdivided,cannotbeunder600,000souls。
  LeavingMalange,wepassedquickly,withoutdeviation,alongthepathbywhichwehadcomeAtSanzalat9d37’46“S。,long16d59’E。
  weexpectedtogetalittleseed-wheat,butthiswasnotnowtobefoundinAngolaTheunderlyingrockofthewholeofthissectionisthatsamesandstonewhichwehavebeforenoticed,butitgraduallybecomesfinerinthegrain,withtheadditionofalittlemica,thefartherwegoeastward;weenteruponclayshaleatTalaMungongolat9d42’37“S。,long17d27’E。,andfinditdippingalittletothewestThegeneralgeologicalstructureisabroadfringeofmicaandsandstoneschistabout15DegE。,dippingintowardthecentreofthecountry,beneaththesehorizontalandsedimentaryrocksofmorerecentdate,whichformaninlandbasinThefringeisnot,however,thehighestinaltitude,thoughtheoldestinage。
  WhileatthislatterplacewemetanativeofBihewhohasvisitedthecountryofShintethreetimesforthepurposesoftradeHegaveussomeofthenewsofthatdistantpart,butnotawordoftheMakololo,whohavealwaysbeenrepresentedinthecountriestothenorthasadesperatelysavagerace,whomnotradercouldvisitwithsafety。
  Thehalf-castetraderswhomwemetatShinte’shadreturnedtoAngolawithsixty-sixslavesandupwardoffiftytusksofivory。
  Aswecamealongthepath,wedailymetlonglinesofcarriersbearinglargesquaremassesofbeeswax,eachaboutahundredpoundsweight,andnumbersofelephants’tusks,thepropertyofAngolesemerchants。
  Manynativeswereproceedingtothecoastalsoontheirownaccount,carryingbeeswax,ivory,andsweetoilTheyappearedtotravelinperfectsecurity;andatdifferentpartsoftheroadwepurchasedfowlsfromthematapennyeachMymentookcaretocelebratetheirowndaringinhavingactuallyenteredships,whilethenativesoftheseparts,whohadendeavoredtofrightenthemontheirwaydown,hadonlyseenthematadistancePoorfellows!
  theyweremorethaneverattentivetome;and,astheywerenotobligedtoerectshedsforthemselves,inconsequenceoffindingthemalreadybuiltatthedifferentsleeping-places,alltheircarewasbestowedinmakingmecomfortableMashauana,asusual,madehisbedwithhisheadclosetomyfeet,andneverduringtheentirejourneydidIhavetocallhimtwiceforanythingIneeded。