284 TRADING POMBEIROS. 



to the terrible charge of the light cavalry. The intense 

 anxiety I felt to hear more may be imagined by every 

 true patriot; but I was forced to brood on in silent 

 thought, and utter my poor prayers for friends who per- 

 chance were now no more, until 1 reached the other side 

 of the continent. 



A considerable trade is carried on by the Cassange mer- 

 chants with all the surrounding territory by means of 

 native traders, whom they term "pombeiros." Two of 

 these, called in the history of Angola " the trading blacks," 

 (os feirantes pretos,) Pedro Joao Baptista and Antonio 

 Jose, having been sent by the first Portuguese trader that 

 lived at Cassange, actually returned from some of the Por- 

 tuguese possessions in the East with letters from the 

 governor of Mozambique in the year 1815, proving, as is 

 remarked, "the possibility of so important a communica- 

 tion between Mozambique and Loanda." This is the only 

 instance of native Portuguese subjects crossing the conti- 

 nent. No European ever accomplished it, though this 

 fact has lately been quoted as if the men had been 

 " Portuguese." 



Captain Neves was now actively engaged in preparing 

 a present, worth about fifty pounds, to be sent by pom- 

 beiros to Matiamvo. It consisted of great quantities 'of 

 cotton cloth, a large carpet, an arm-chair with a canopy 

 and curtains of crimson calico, an iron bedstead, mosquito- 

 curtains, beads, &c, and a number of pictures rudely 

 painted in oil by an embryo black painter at Cassange. 



Matiamvo, like most of the natives in the interior of the 

 country, has a strong desire to possess a cannon, and had 

 sent ten large tusks to purchase one ; but, being Govern- 

 ment property, itcould not be sold : he was now furnished 

 with a blunderbuss mounted as a cannon, which 'would 

 probably please him as well. 



Senhor Gracu and some other Portuguese have visited 

 this chief at different times; but no European resides 

 beyond the Quango : indeed, it is contrary to the policy of 



