XXXIII. ] BENGUELA. 435 



SO rapidly toward convalescence that on the fourth day I was Novembci 

 able to take an airing in a maxella, and called on the governor, 1875. 

 Major Brito, who had constantly been to see me. 



He had also most kindly furnished my people with quarters 

 in a government building, and had directed the commissariat 

 department to supply them with rations. 



The next day, the 11th of November, the remainder of the 

 men arrived, excepting Ferhan Mhehe, who died after I parted 

 from them. A few had been robbed of their clothes by the 

 natives while straggling behind the caravan. 



Bombay celebrated his return to civilization by getting ex- 

 ceptionally drunk, and behaving in a most insolent and abusive 

 manner to several people, including the kind-hearted M. Cau- 

 choix, when he was engaged in seeing the men properly lodged 

 and the sick sent to hospital. I would have punished him for 

 his blackguardism, had not those against whom he offended 

 begged that it might be overlooked. 



In the employ of Cauchoix there was rather an original 

 character, w^ho amused me much. He was an American, and 

 had served in an English brig, but, having taken upon himself 

 to give the captain and mate a severe thrashing, he was landed 

 here and sent to prison. He was curious to know whether I 

 had " been on my own hook," or had been " working for a com- 

 pany," and remarked that he should have liked being with me, 

 except that " he didn't care about the darned walking." Among 

 other callings, he had been master of an American bark, and 

 traded in snakes, which he obtained up some African river. 

 He was so pleased with this line of business that he inquired 

 whether I could tell him of any big snakes, as, if so, he would 

 be off in search of them at once. 



Benguela is second in importance among the Portuguese 

 towns on the West Coast, and carries on a considerable trade 

 with the interior in bees-wax and ivory, and some of the mer- 

 chants possess jfishing stations along the coast. The town is 

 laid out in wide streets, and the houses, being whitewashed, and 

 the doors and windows painted in bright colors, had a very 

 clean appearance. In a central position in the town is a taste- 

 fully arranged public garden, where a band performs on Sun- 

 day evenings. The only public buildings are a well-constructed 



