252 MAKOLOLO'S VISIT TO TIIE SHIPS. 



ance of Mr. Cockin, the surgeon of the "Polyphemus," 

 at the suggestion of his commander, Captain Phillips. Mr 

 Cockin's treatment, aided by the exhilarating presence 

 of the warm-hearted naval officers, and Mr. Gabriel's un 

 wearied hospitality and care, soon brought me round 

 again. On the 14th I was so far well as to call on the 

 bishop, in company with my party, who were arrayed in 

 new robes of striped cotton cloth and red caps, all pre- 

 sented to them by Mr. Gabriel. He received us, as head 

 of the provisional Government, in the grand hall of the 

 palace. He put many intelligent questions respecting the 

 Makololo, and then gave them free permission to come to 

 Loanda as often as they pleased. This interview pleased 

 the Makololo extremely. 



Every one remarked the serious deportment of the 

 Makololo. They viewed the large stone houses and 

 churches in the vicinity of the great ocean with awe. 

 A house with two stories was, until now, beyond their 

 comprehension. In explanation of this strange thing, I 

 had always been obliged to use the word for hut ; and, as 

 huts are constructed by the poles being let into the earth, 

 they never could comprehend how the poles of one hut 

 could be founded upon the roof of another, or how men 

 could live, in the upper story, with the conical roof of the 

 lower one in the middle. Some Makololo, who had visited 

 my little house at Kolobeng, in trying to describe it to 

 their countrymen at Linyanti, said, " It is not a hut : it is 

 a mountain with several caves in it." 



Commander Bedingfeld and Captain Skene invited them 

 to visit their vessels, the " Pluto" and " Philomel." Know- 

 ing their fears, I told them that no one need go if he 

 entertained the least suspicion of foul play. Nearly the 

 whole party went ; and, when on deck, I pointed to the 

 sailors, and said, "Now, these are all my countrymen, sent 

 by our queen for the purpose of putting down the trade of 

 those that buy and sell black men." They replied, " Truly! 

 they are just like you !" and all their fears seemed to 



