PRESENTS FOR SEKELETU. 259 



The people of Ambriz ran away like a flock of sheep, and 

 allowed the Portuguese to take possession of their copper- 

 mines and country without striking a blow. If we must have 

 convict-settlements, attention to the climate might be of 

 advantage in the selection. Here even bulls are much 

 tamer than with us. I never met with a ferocious one in 

 this country, and the Portuguese use them generally for 

 riding : an ox is seldom seen. 



The objects which I had in view in opening up tiio 

 country, as stated in a few notes of my journey published 

 in the newspapers of Angola, so commended themselves to 

 the general Government and merchants of Loanda, that, 

 at the instance of his excellency the bishop, a handsome 

 present for Sekeletu was granted by the Board of Public 

 Works, (Junta da Fazenda Publica.) It consisted of a 

 colonel's complete uniform and a horse for the chief, and 

 suits of clothing for all the men who accompanied me. The 

 merchants also made a present, by public subscription, of 

 handsome specimens of all their articles of trade, and two 

 donkeys, for the purpose of introducing the breed into his 

 countiy, as tsetse cannot kill this beast of burden. These 

 presents were accompanied by letters from the bishop and 

 merchants; and I was kindly favored with letters of recom- 

 mendation to the Portuguese authorities in Eastern Africa. 



I took with me a good stock of cotton cloth, fresh sup 

 plies of ammunition and beads, and gave each of my men 

 a musket. As my companions had amassed considerable 

 quantities of goods, they were unable to carry mine; but 

 the bishop furnished me with twenty carriers, and sent for- 

 ward orders to all the commandants of the districts through 

 which we were to pass to render me every assistance in 

 their power. Being now supplied with a good new tent 

 made by my friends on board the Philomel, we left Loanda 

 on the 20th of September, 1854, and passed round by sea 

 to the mouth of the river Bengo. Ascending this river, we 

 went through the district in which stand the ruins of the 

 Convent of St. Antonio; thence into Ieollo i Bengo, which, 



