12 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



lieaded — "Of the Provinces of Bongo, Calongo, May- 

 ombe, Manikesocke, Motimbas : of the Ape Monster 

 Pongo, their hunting : Idolatries ; and divers other obser- 

 vations." 



" Tliis province (Calongo) toward the east bordereth 

 upon Bongo, and toward the north npon 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 elephant's 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 log- 

 wood 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 



* Purchas' note. — Cape Negro is in 16 degrees south of the line. 



