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。