XXXI.] UNTRUSTWORTHY POSTMEN. 409 



The chief of Lnngi, Menyi Hombo by name, had been a October, 

 pombeiro of Senhor Gonial ves; and although he was well i^'^^- 

 aware of my inability to make any return for kindness shown, 

 was very hospitable, bringing us pombe daily, and presenting 

 a goat to me, besides one to my men. 



Here I received the unwelcome intelligence that the letters 

 and map I forwarded before reaching Bihd were barely ahead 

 of me now. It appeared that when they arrived at Komanante, 

 Manoel at once sent them to Joao, who intrusted them to two 

 runners to take to the coast. These worthies arrived at a vil- 

 lage close to Lungi about a fortnight before me, but, meeting 

 some chums just returned from Benguela with a large stock of 

 aguardiente, remained there with them. In their opinion such 

 an opportunity was not to be neglected, and from the moment 

 of their arrival they had spent their time in one continued state 

 of drunkenness. I immediately sent for the lettei^s, and was 

 fortunate in getting them ; and, after this experience, I con- 

 cluded it would be better to become my own postman. 



Little worthy of record occurred during the stay at Lungi. 

 The jDrincipal employment of the men was making clothes of 

 a somewhat uniform pattern for entry into Benguela ; and I 

 had to look sharply after them, for they were much inclined to 

 shirk their work, and expend the material I had given them in 

 drink. 



While writing in my hut one day, I was astonished at hear- 

 ing that a white man had come to the camp and desired to see 

 me. Who it might be I could not imagine, having been told 

 that no white traders were in the country, excepting Joao and 

 Goncalves. 



I found that my visitor was a young Portuguese, who, to- 

 gether with two companions, had come here to trade, having 

 obtained a few stores on credit at Benguela. 



His partners, however, quarreled so grievously that words 

 came to blows, and one, after knifing and killing the other, ran 

 off with all the goods, and left this young fellow destitute. 



He was now in pawn to the chief of the village where he 

 was staying, and was prevented from leaving, as the merchant 

 who advanced the stores for the first venture refused to supply 

 him with any thing further until he was paid. This forced de- 



