62 PORTUGUESE DISCOVERIES. 



be brought back again ; and that, meanwhile, a number of 

 his people should be left as hostages. Diego then sailed 

 to Lisbon, where he introduced with triumph these living 

 trophies of his discovery. The king was highly gratified, 

 and held many conversations w^ith the Congo princes, 

 whom he loaded with honours, and caused to be conveyed 

 back at the appointed period to the shores of the Zaire. 

 On Diego's arrival at that river, it was highly gratifying to 

 see, waiting on the bank, the part of his crew whom he 

 had left as pledges, and respecting whom he had felt some 

 anxiety. He was invited to court, where the king not 

 only received him with kindness, but agreed to embrace 

 Christianity, and to send several of his principal lords to 

 Europe, to be instructed in its principles. They sailed, 

 accordingly, and this new arrival of Congo leaders of the 

 first rank gave fresh satisfaction at Lisbon. They re- 

 mained two years, experiencing the very best treatment ; 

 and on their being considered ripe for baptism, the king 

 stood godfather to the principal envoy, and his chief no- 

 bles to others ; on which occasion the Africans received 

 the names of the persons by whom they had been thus 

 honoured. 



In 1490, a new armament, guided by Ruy de Sousa, 

 conveyed back the Congo nobles to their native country. 

 The Portuguese, on their arrival, were received by the king 

 in full pomp. The native troops approached in three 

 lines, making so prodigious a noise with horns, kettledrums, 

 and other instruments, and raising shouts so tremendous, 

 as to surpass all that the Europeans had ever witnessed in 

 Catholic processions and invocations to the saints. The 

 king himself was seated in the midst of a large park, upon 

 an ivory chair raised on a platform. He was dressed in 

 rich and glossy skins of wild beasts, a bracelet of brass 

 hanging from his left arm, a horse's tail from his shoulder, 

 and on his head a bonnet of fine cloth woven from the 

 palm-tree. He gave full permission to erect a church 

 and, when murmurs were heard from a few of his attend- 

 ants, he instantly oflTered to put them to death on the spot • 

 but th«; Portuguese laudably dissuaded him from so violent 

 a step. He himself and all his nobles were baptized ; and 

 free scope was allowed to the exertions of the Catholic 

 missionaries. These churchmen seem to have been really 



