18 THE FERNAND VAZ. Chap. II. 



I lei tlie old man welcome mo in his own way. Even 

 his gloomy superstition could not in the end destroy 

 the natural benevolence of his disposition. 



One night shortly after my arrival, after I had 

 retired to bed in the hut lent to me by the negroes, 

 I heard the sound of the native bugle on the river, 

 and the songs of a multitude of paddlers. It was 

 King Quengueza, who had arrived for the purpose of 

 welcoming me back to his country. I got up at 

 once, and found at the door the venerable chief; 

 who received me with open arms, declaring that he 

 could not go to sleep until he had embraced me, and 

 had assured me of his enduring affection. When 

 I despatched Sholomba with a canoe to fetch him, 

 to prevent any doubt on his part, and having nothing 

 else to send him at the time, I sent him a bottle of 

 brandy, the sight of which convinced him at once 

 that it was I and no other. I was truly glad to see 

 this noble old chief, the King of the Rembo, or 

 Upper River. He was a man of great and wide 

 influence, not only on account of his hereditary rank, 

 but also from the energy and dignity of his character. 

 He was fond of Europeans, but I could never induce 

 him to wear in public the fine European clothes I 

 gave him ; he had a firm idea that he should die if he 

 put on any dress, as he was still in mourning for his 

 brother, who had died several years before I made 

 the old chief's acquaintance. I felt and still feel the 

 warmest friendship towards this stern, hard-featured 

 old man ; and, in recalling his many good qualities, 

 cannot bring myself to think of him as an untutored 

 savage. 



