GRADATIONS OF SOCIETY. 445 



viewing the present fruits of former missions, it is impossible not 

 to feel assured that, if the Jesuit teaching has been so permanent, 

 that of Protestants, who leave the Bible in the hands of their con- 

 verts, will not be less abiding. The chief Bango has built a large 

 two-story house close by the convent, but superstitious fears pre- 

 vent him from sleeping in it. The Portuguese take advantage 

 of all the gradations into which native society has divided itself. 

 This man, for instance, is still a sova or chief, has his councilors, 

 and maintains the same state as when the country was independ- 

 ent. When any of his people are guilty of theft, he pays down 

 the amount of goods stolen at once, and reimburses himself out 

 of the property of the thief so effectually as to be benefited by the 

 transaction. The people under him are divided into a number of 

 classes. There are his councilors, as the highest, who are gener- 

 ally head men of several villages, and the carriers, the lowest free 

 men. One class above the last obtains the privilege of wearing- 

 shoes from the chief by paying for it ; another, the soldiers or 

 militia, pay for the privilege of serving, the advantage being that 

 they are not afterward liable to be made carriers. They are also 

 divided into gentlemen and little gentlemen, and, though quite 

 black, speak of themselves as white men, and of the others, who 

 may not wear shoes, as "blacks." The men of all these classes 

 trust to their wives for food, and spend most of their time in drink- 

 ing the palm-toddy. This toddy is the juice of the palm-oil-tree 

 (Elceis Guineensis), which, when tapped, yields a sweet, clear 

 liquid, not at all intoxicating while fresh, but, when allowed to 

 stand till the afternoon, causes inebriation and many crimes. This 

 toddy, called malova, is the bane of the country. Culprits are 

 continually brought before the commandants for assaults commit- 

 ted through its influence. Men come up with deep gashes on 

 their heads ; and one, who had burned his father's house, I saw 

 making a profound bow to Mr. Canto, and volunteering to explain 

 why he did the deed. 



There is also a sort of fraternity of freemasons, named Em- 

 pacasseiros, into which no one is admitted unless he is an expert 

 hunter, and can shoot well with the gun. They are distinguish- 

 ed by a fillet of buffalo hide around their heads, and are employed 

 as messengers in all cases requiring express. They are very trust- 

 worthy, and, when on active service, form the best native troops 



