BIHfiNO CHARACTER 111 



The story of the voyage of two pombeiros 

 across Africa from 1801 to 1811, described in the 

 Portuguese colonial records of 1842, is a remarkable 

 account of a wonderful journey. 



The Bihe, though a vigorous, intelligent, and 

 fairly hard-working race, bear a bad moral reputa- 

 tion, being vicious, cunning, and cruel, the result 

 probably of their slave-trading and commercial 

 dealings. They have more idea of a future state 

 than most African tribes, ideas possibly influenced 

 by their contact with Europeans, but are really in 

 the hands of witch doctors, like most negroes. 

 The avarice of the Bihenos is well illustrated by 

 their method of fining for all offences when 

 they governed the country. This " mucano," as 

 it is called, was extracted under the most flimsy 

 pretexts from the native, as it was from the 

 European trader till the Portuguese definitely 

 took over the country. As the offended parties 

 were allowed to form themselves into judge and 

 jury, the accused had no chance of escaping his 

 fine. 



Before the Portuguese occupation, the Biheno 

 form of government was similar to that of other 

 African tribes, probably a little more elaborate, 

 owing to their greater intelligence. The Chief or 

 Sova had his Court of " Macotas,"who were courtiers 

 and favourites rather than counsellors, and had 

 little influence on any decision made. A custom 

 among the Bihe people was for the Sova to have 

 a fool or jester, as he also had a personal A.D.C., 

 who collected the royal spittle, but only to cast it 

 out of doors, and not anoint his own or any other 



