f the same
Colour with _European_ Babes, but within about a Week began to appear of
the Hue of their Parents. But more Pregnant is the Testimony of our
Countrey-man _Andrew Battel_, who being sent Prisoner by the _Portugalls_
to _Angola_, liv'd there, and in the adjoyning Regions, partly as a
Prisoner, partly as a Pilot, and partly as a Souldier, near 18. years, and
he mentioning the _African_ Kingdom of _Longo_, peopl'd with Blacks, has
this passage:[12] _The Children in this Countrey are Born White, and change
their Colour in two dayes to a Perfect Black_. As for Example, _The_
Portugalls _which dwell in the Kingdome of_ Longo _have sometimes Children
by the_ Negroe_-women, and many times the Fathers are deceived, thinking,
when the Child is Born, that it is theirs, and within two dayes it proves
the Son or Daughter of a_ Negroe,_ which the_ Portugalls _greatly grieve
at_; And the same person has elsewhere a Relation, which, if he have made
no use at all of the liberty of a Traveller, is very well worth our Notice,
since this, together with that we have formerly mention'd of Seminal
Impressions, shews a possibility, that a Race of _Negroes_ might be begun,
though none of the Sons of _Adam_, for many Precedent Generations were of
that Complexion. For I see not why it should not be at least as possible,
that White Parents may sometimes have Black Children, as that _African
Negroes_ should sometimes have lastingly White ones, especially since
concurrent causes may easily more befriend the Productions of the Former
kind, than under the scorching Heat of _Africa_ those of the Latter. And I
remember on the occasion of what he delivers, that of the White Raven
formerly mention'd, the Possessor affirm'd to me, that in the Nest out of
which he was taken White, they found with him but one other Young one, and
that he was of as Jetty a Black as any common Raven. But let us hear our
Author himself[13]; _Here are_ (sayes he, speaking of the formerly
mention'd Regions) _Born in this Countrey White Children, which is very
rare among them, for their Parents are_ Negroes; _And when any of them are
Born, they are presented to the King, and are call'd_ Dondos; _these are as
White as any White Men. These are the Kings Witches, and are brought up in
Witchcraft, and alwayes wait on the King: There is no man that dare meddle
with these_ Dondos, _if they go to the Market they may take what they lift,
for all Men stand in awe of them. The King o