DESERTED CONVENT. 265 



CHAPTEE XXI. 



DR LIVINGSTONE VISITS PUNGO ANDONGO. 



While waiting for the recovery of my men, I visited, in 

 company with my friend Mr. Canto, the deserted Convent 

 of St. Hilarion, at Bango, a few miles northwest of Golungo 

 Alto. It is situated in a magnificent valley, containing a 

 population numbering 4000 hearths. This is the abode of 

 the Sova, or Chief Bango, who still holds a place of autho- 

 rity under the Portuguese. The garden of the convent, 

 the church, and dormitories of the brethren are still kept 

 in a good state of repair. I looked at the furniture, couches, 

 and large chests for holding the provisions of the brother- 

 hood with interest, and would fain have learned something 

 of the former occupants; but all the books and sacred 

 vessels had lately been removed to Loanda, and even the 

 graves of the good men stand without any record : their 

 resting-places are, however, carefully tended. All speak 

 well of the Jesuits and other missionaries, as the Capuchins, 

 &c, for having attended diligently to the instruction of the 

 children. They were supposed to have a tendency to take 

 the part of the people against the Government, and were 

 supplanted by priests, concerning whom no regret is ex- 

 pressed that they were allowed to die out. In viewing the 

 present fruits of former missions, it is impossible not to 

 feel assured that, if the Jesuit teaching has been so per- 

 manent, that of Protestants, who leave the Bible in the 

 hands of their converts, will not be less abiding. 



The chief recreations of the natives of Angola are mar- 

 riages and funerals. When a young woman is about to be 

 married, she is placed in a hut alone and anointed with 

 various unguents, and many incantations are employed in 

 order to secure good fortune and fruitfulness. Here, as almost 

 every where in the south, the height of good fortune is to 

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