18 THE "FEriNAND VAZ. CnAP. 11. 



I lei the old ma-n M'elcome mo in his own way. Even 

 his gloomy superstition could not in the end destroy 

 the natural benevolence of his disposition. 



One night shortly after my arrival, after I had 

 retired to bed in the hut lent to me by the negroes, 

 I heard the sound of the native bugle on the river, 

 and the songs of a multitude of paddlers. It was 

 King Quengueza, who had arrived for the jjurpose of 

 welcoming me back to his coinitry. I got uj) at 

 once, and found at the door the venerable chief; 

 who received me with open arms, declaring that he 

 could not go to sleep until he had embraced me, and 

 had assured me of his enduring affection. When 

 I despatched Sholomba with a canoe to fetch him, 

 to prevent any doubt on his part, and having nothing 

 else to send him at the time, I sent him a bottle of 

 brandy, the sight of which convinced him at once 

 that it was I and no other. I was truly glad to see 

 this noble old chief, the King of the Rembo, or 

 Upper River. He was a man of great and wide 

 influence, not only on account of his hereditary rank, 

 but also from the energy and dignity of his character. 

 He was fond of Europeans, but I could never induce 

 him to wear in public the fine European clothes I 

 gave him ; he had a firm idea that he should die if he 

 put on any dress, as he was still in mourning for his 

 brother, who had died several years before I made 

 the old chief's acquaintance. I felt and still feel the 

 warmest friendship towards this stern, hard-featured 

 old man ; and, in recalling his many good qualities, 

 cannot bring myself to think of him as an untutored 

 savage. 



