i THE PONGO. 5 



" This province (Calongo) toward the east bordereth 

 upon Bongo, and toward the north upon Mayombe, which 

 is nineteen leagues from Longo along the coast. 



" This province of Mayombe is all woods and groves, 

 so overgrowne that a man may travaile twentie days in 

 the shadow without any sunne or heat. Here is no kind 

 of corne nor graine, so that the people liveth onely upon 

 plantanes and roots of sundrie sorts, very good ; and nuts ; 

 nor any kinde of tame cattell, nor hens. 



" But they have great store of elephants' flesh, which 

 they greatly esteeme, and many kinds of wild beasts; and 

 great store of fish. Here is a great sandy bay, two leagues 

 to the northward of Cape Negro,'"' which is the port of 

 Mayombe. Sometimes the Portugals lade logwood in this 

 bay. Here is a great river, called Banna: in the winter it 

 hath no barre, because the generall winds cause a great 

 sea. But when the sunne hath his south declination, then 

 a boat may goe in; for then it is smooth because of the 

 raine. This river is very great, and hath many ilands and 

 people dwelling in them. The woods are so covered with 

 baboones, monkies, apes and parrots, that it will feare any 

 man to travaile in them alone. Here are also two kinds 

 of monsters, which are common in these woods, and very 

 dangerous. 



" The greatest of these two monsters is called Pongo 

 in their language, and the lesser is called Engeco. This 

 Pongo is in all proportion like a man; but that he is more 

 like a giant in stature than a man; for he is very tall, 

 and hath a man's face, hollow-eyed, with long haire upon 

 his browes. His face and eares are without haire, and 

 his hands also. His bodie is full of haire, but not very 

 thicke; and it is of a dunnish colour. 



" He differeth not from a man but in his legs; for they 

 have no calfe. Hee goeth alwaies upon his legs, and car- 



* Purchas' note. — Cape Negro is in 1C degrees south of 

 the line. 



