126 



CONGO. 



Congo. 



their safety, relying upon their natural strength. They 

 often approach the houses without doing any injury, 

 and seldom pay any attention to the men that come in 

 their way. Yet sometimes one of them has been seen 

 raising a negro with his trunk, holding him suspended 

 for some time, and then calmly letting him down again 

 to the ground. The natives of this country have not 

 the art of taming elephants : the only way, therefore, 

 in which they can obtain profit from them is, by send- 

 ing some of their bravest men to hunt them in the 

 woods. The most common means through which this 

 is done, is by digging deep pits in the ground, which 

 are covered over with branches and leaves, in the 

 same manner as is practised on like occasions in most 

 parts of Asia. The business is generally attended 

 with a good deal both of labour and of danger ; but 

 the esteem in which some of the exuviae of the- animal 

 are held in the country is such, as to induce per- 

 sons, from time to time, to undertake it. Besides ele- 

 phants, this country abounds also in lions, which in 

 like manner grow here to a vast size, tigers, wolves, 

 and other beasts of prey. There is also a vast variety 

 of monkeys of all sizes and shapes. The zebra of this 

 country is a beautiful animal, which the natives hunt 

 on account of its flesh, which they esteem a dainty 

 food, and for its hide, which they send to Europe as a 

 valuable commodity. A variety of buffaloes and wild 

 asses occur here, and the dante seems to be an animal 

 peculiar to this kingdom. It resembles an ox in shape 

 and colour, but is not so large ; its horns are like those 

 of a he-goat, but very smooth and shining, and of a 

 blackish hue. Its skin is commonly bought by the 

 Portuguese, and sent into Germany to be tanned, and 

 made into a kind of targets, which are known by the 

 same name as the animal. Of the raw hides dried the 

 natives make their shields, which are impenetrable to 

 darts and arrows, and at the same time large enough 

 to cover the whole body. They also make a variety 

 of toys from its horns. The dante is a creature of great 

 swiftness ; and, when wounded, it will follow the scent 

 of the gun-powder with such fury, that the huntsman 

 finds it necessary, before he ventures to fire, to secure 

 always a retreat in some tree, to which, in case of being 

 unsuccessful in his aim, he may betake himself as 

 speedily as possible. The wounded beast, finding its 

 enemy out of its reach, stays, for him at the f™f cP-+u~ 

 tree, ana will not stir from its place, while the hunter, 

 taking advantage of this circumstance, dispatches it 

 with repeated shots. Cameleons abound in Congo; 

 and it has several sorts of wild rats, as the ninge, the 

 niosse, and the marmoni, the furs of which surpass 

 even those of the finest tigers, in the beauty, variety, 

 and regularity of their streaks and spots. Another sin- 

 gular small quadruped is said to be found in this coun- 

 try, called the entiengia, which abides constantly in 

 the trees, and is reported to die immediately upon set- 

 ting its feet on the ground. Its skin is beautifully 

 spotted, and is so much in esteem as an article of dress, 

 that, in the country, none but the sovereign, and a few 

 other privileged persons of the first rank, are permit- 

 ted to wear it. It is at the same time looked upon as 

 a proper present for the most considerable of the neigh- 

 bouring princes, and as such is received by them with 

 satisfaction. 



The forests of Congo swarm with wild dogs, which 

 like wolves prey upon the tame cattle, and are so fierce 

 that they will attack armed men. The teeth of these 

 animals are exceedingly keen and sharp. They never 

 bark ; but when famished, or in pursuit of their prey, 



they set up a dreadful howling. The different kinds Co^,,. 

 ot birds are found here that occur in other warm cli- — ~y~- 

 mates. Those called the birds of music are held in Birds! 

 such esteem, that persons of the highest rank have, 

 from time immemorial, taken pleasure in keeping them 

 in cages and aviaries, for the sake of their surprising 

 melody. There is a species of parrot, of which descrip- 

 tion of birds there is here a great variety, distinguish- 

 ed both by their size and colour. Others of the birds 

 of the country the Congoese associate with their su- 

 perstitions, a trait of character by which that people 

 have been very greatly distinguished. What they es- 

 teem the most dreadful of the ominous kind of then- 

 birds, are crows, ravens, bats, and owls. Above all 

 others, the great owl is looked on with the most ter- 

 rible apprehension, and is known in the language of 

 the country by the same name which is used to denote 

 the devil. Both land and sea-fowls, in general, are 

 here very numerous. The ostriches of this country are 

 very large and beautiful, and their feathers, mixed with 

 those of peacocks, which are no less numerous and 

 beautiful, are used as ensigns or standards. They are 

 also made into umbrellas. Turkies, geese, hens, and 

 ducks, both wild and tame; likewise pheasants, pi- 

 geons, doves, woodcocks, and other smaller birds, a- 

 bound in the country. Birds of prey, such as eagles, 

 vultures, falcons of various sorts, sparrow-hawks, and 

 others of a similar kind, occur in great numbers. He- 

 rons, bitterns, a bird in size and shape like a crane, 

 one called by the Portuguese the pelican, of a large 

 size and whitish colour, another called the fisher, which 

 darts from a surprising height in the air on the fish, 

 which he perceives in the sea or rivers, with other 

 birds of the like voracious kinds, commonly abound in 

 the marshes, lakes, and other waters. 



Among the tame animals of Congo are enumerated Tame a £ { . 

 oxen, sheep, hogs, horses, mules, and asses. The at- m ah. 

 tention of the Portuguese has been in some degree di- 

 rected to particular classes of these animals, especially 

 to the cows, sheep, and goats, chiefly on account of 

 their milk. They have not, however, learned the art 

 of making butter or cheese. 



Of fish, the sea adjoining to this country, and its ri- p; s ], ser . 

 vers, afford great plenty and variety. It is likewise in- pent?, &o 

 fested with various kinds of serpents, some of them of 

 great magnitude, with rattle- snakes, vipers, and other 

 venomous reptiles ; also scorpions, and other venomous 

 insects, both flying and creeping of several kinds. Lo- 

 pez makes mention of a serpent of vast dimensions, 

 and of a throat and belly so capacious, that it can swal- 

 low a stag entire. The negroes call it by a name, sig- 

 nifying in their language, ', the great water serpent.' 

 It lives in rivers, but it seeks its prey on land. There 

 it climbs up some tree, from which it watches the 

 beasts. Having found an opportunity of attacking an 

 animal, it twists itself around it, grasps it closely with 

 its tail, and kills it with its bites. It then draws it 

 into some retired place, where it devours it at ease, 

 even to the skin, the bones, and the horns. Thus sa- 

 tisfied, it falls into so profound a sleep, that a child 

 might then put it to death. It remains in this state for 

 the space of five or six days ; and it is commonly after 

 it has been thus gorged, that it changes its skin. It 

 extends itself on other occasions in the highways like 

 a piece of wood, of which it has then all the appear- 

 ance, and, with a swift movement, darts upon passen- 

 gers, whether men or animals. The negroes prefer 

 the flesh of this serpent even to that of chicken. The 

 vipers of this country are several of them extremely 



