The Pedras Negras of Fungo Andongo iti Angola 3 1 



with the (in tropical Africa) ubiquitous tomato, appear like 

 weeds in the cultivated plantations. Neither must we overlook the 

 Zingiber and Bixa Orellana, cultivated for their dye, used by the 

 negroes for colouring the straw of an Eleusine,* out of which they 

 manufacture their celebrated artistic and tasteful basket work 

 known under the name of "Balaios de Pungo Andongo," and 

 which are so much in demand even in Portugal, that they give 

 rise to distinct branches of industry in this district. 



Pungo Andongo is also justly praised for its good hunting, 

 excelling, in numbers of large and small game, every other district 

 of Angola. Without speaking of the numerous kinds of antelopes 

 or the abundance of fowl, I cannot leave unnoticed the Hyrax 

 (perhaps an undescribed species), not unlike a rabbit in appearance 

 and habits, which peoples the rock crevices in great numbers, 

 and furnishes meat of excellent taste. Unfortunately, the surround- 

 ing often inaccessible cliffs are also the abode of a kind of dog- 

 like monkey (a species of Cynocephalus), which surpass by far in 

 boldness and cunning all other animals. They make nightly 

 rapacious inroads even into the fields near the habitations ; and it 

 often happens that they destroy in a single night entire plantations 

 of maize or mandioca. These equally cunning and voracious 

 animals make their invasions in immense troups. For their 

 security and the success of their enterprise some of the older 

 individuals are posted as guards round about on projecting rocks. 

 These, on the approach of danger, give the alarm by loud barking, 

 when the whole troup takes to instantaneous flight. With the 

 velocity of lightning, carrying their prey under the fore-arms, they 

 run to the first rock-wall, however perpendicular or apparently 

 inaccessible, and scale it with amazing ease and rapidity. On 

 reaching the top, they immediately form a regimental line on the 

 extreme edge of the precipice, scoffing at the powerless pursuer 

 below by a loud, hideous barking, or, if attacked vnth. gun-shots, 

 throwing or pushing down stones. 



Before leaving the animal kingdom I must remark that all kinds 

 of birds, reptiles, fresh-water and land shells, fishes, and insects, 

 are represented in as great abundance as the various forms of 

 vegetation. Future naturalists visiting this country can reckon 



* Most probably this Eleusine is a distinct species, or, at least, a prominent 

 variety of the E. indica, It is characterised by its straight erect tender culms, 

 I to 2 feet high ; when ripe, of a golden yellow colour, and might be fitly 

 designated as Eleusine textilis. 



