54 PORTUGUESE DISCOVERIES. 



handful of Portuguese to oppose to the innumerable host of 

 his rebel countrymen ; however, in consequence, as his ad- 

 herents beliewd, of the appearance in the clouds, at ono 

 time of St. James, and at another of the Virgin Mary, he 

 always came off victorious. Doubtless the better arms and 

 discipline of the Portuguese rendered them superior in the 

 field to the tumultuary host of their rude assailants. 



Alphonso being thus firmly seated on his throne, the 

 missionaries for a time secured a safe and comfortable esta- 

 blishment in Congo. Being reinforced by successive bo- 

 dies of their brethren, they spread ever the neighbouring 

 countries, Sundi, Pango, Concobella, Maopongo, many 

 tracts of which were rich and populous, though the state 

 of society was often extremely rude. Every where their 

 career was nearly similar. The people gave them the most 

 cordial reception, flocked in crowds to witness and to share 

 in the pomp of their ceremonies, accepted with thankful- 

 ness their sacred gifts, and received by thousands the rite 

 of baptism. They were not, however, on this account pre- 

 pared to renounce their ancient habits and superstitions. 

 The inquisition, which was speedily instituted among their 

 ecclesiastical arrangements, caused a sudden re\ailsion ; 

 and the missionaries thenceforth maintained only a preca- 

 rious and even a perilous position. They were much re- 

 proached, it appears, for the rough and violent methods 

 employed to effect their pious purposes ; and though they 

 treat the accusation as most unjust, some of the proceed- 

 ings of which they boast with the greatest satisfaction 

 tend not a little to countenance the charge. When, for ex- 

 ample, they could not persuade the people to renounce their 

 idols, they used a large staff wuth which they threw them 

 down and beat them in pieces ; they even sometimes stole 

 secretly into the temples and set them on fire. A mission- 

 ary at Maopongo having met one of the queens, and finding 

 her mind inaccessible to all his instructions, determined to use 

 harper remedies, and, seizing a whip, began to apply it to 

 her majesty's person. The effect he describes as most au- 

 spicious ; every successive blow opened her eyes more and 

 more to the truth, and she at length declared herself wholly 

 unable to resist such affecting arguments in favour of the 

 Catholic doctrine. It was found, however, that she had 

 hastened to the king with loud complaints respecting thi« 



