, and seeing them slaughter both heifer-calves and cows, which
they themselves never do, and likewise making no use of the milk, they
concluded that the Portuguese must be an inferior race of white men.
They never ceased remarking on the fine ground for gardens over which
we were passing; and when I happened to mention that most of the flour
which the Portuguese consumed came from another country, they exclaimed,
"Are they ignorant of tillage?" "They know nothing but buying and
selling: they are not men." I hope it may reach the ears of my Angolese
friends, and that they may be stirred up to develop the resources of
their fine country.

On coming back to Cypriano's village on the 28th, we found that his
step-father had died after we had passed, and, according to the custom
of the country, he had spent more than his patrimony in funeral orgies.
He acted with his wonted kindness, though, unfortunately, drinking
has got him so deeply in debt that he now keeps out of the way of his
creditors. He informed us that the source of the Quango is eight days,
or one hundred miles, to the south of this, and in a range called
Mosamba, in the country of the Basongo. We can see from this a sort
of break in the high land which stretches away round to Tala Mongongo,
through which the river comes.

A death had occurred in a village about a mile off, and the people were
busy beating drums and firing guns. The funeral rites are half festive,
half mourning, partaking somewhat of the character of an Irish wake.
There is nothing more heart-rending than their death wails. When the
natives turn their eyes to the future world, they have a view cheerless
enough of their own utter helplessness and hopelessness. They fancy
themselves completely in the power of the disembodied spirits, and look
upon the prospect of following them as the greatest of misfortunes.
Hence they are constantly deprecating the wrath of departed souls,
believing that, if they are appeased, there is no other cause of death
but witchcraft, which may be averted by charms. The whole of the colored
population of Angola are sunk in these gross superstitions, but have
the opinion, notwithstanding, that they are wiser in these matters than
their white neighbors. Each tribe has a consciousness of following its
own best interests in the best way. They are by no means destitute of
that self-esteem which is so common in other nations; yet they fear
all manner of phantoms, and have half-