450 L OSS OF COTTON-SEED. 



an entertainment in order to draw all classes together and pro- 

 mote general good-will. Two sovas or native chiefs were present, 

 and took their places without the least appearance of embarrass- 

 ment. The Sova of Kilombo appeared in the dress of a general, 

 and the Sova of Bango was gayly attired in a red coat, profusely 

 ornamented with tinsel. The latter had a band of musicians with 

 him consisting of six trumpeters and four drummers, who per- 

 formed, very well. These men are fond of titles, and the Portu- 

 guese government humors them by conferring honorary captain- 

 cies, etc. : the Sova of Bango was at present anxious to obtain 

 the title of "Major of all the Sovas." At the tables of other gen- 

 tlemen I observed the same thing constantly occurring. At this 

 meeting Mr. Canto communicated some ideas which I had written 

 out on the dignity of labor, and the superiority of free over slave 

 labor. The Portuguese gentlemen present were anxiously expect- 

 ing an arrival of American cotton-seed from Mr. Gabriel. They 

 are now in the transition state from unlawful to lawful trade, and 

 turn eagerly to cotton, coffee, and sugar as new sources of wealth. 

 Mr. Canto had been commissioned by them to purchase three 

 sugar-mills. Our cruisers have been the principal agents in com- 

 pelling them to abandon the slave-trade ; and our government, in 

 furnishing them with a supply of cotton-seed, showed a generous 

 intention to aid them in commencing a more honorable course. It 

 can scarcely be believed, however, that after Lord Clarendon had 

 been at the trouble of procuring fresh cotton-seed through our 

 minister at Washington, and had sent it out to the care of H. M. 

 Commissioner at Loanda, probably from having fallen into the 

 hands of a few incorrigible slave-traders, it never reached its des- 

 tination. It was most likely cast into the sea of Ambriz, and my 

 friends at Golungo Alto were left without the means of commenc- 

 ing a new enterprise. 



Mr. Canto mentioned that there is now much more cotton in 

 the country than can be consumed ; and if he had possession of 

 a few hundred pounds, he would buy up all the oil and cotton at 

 a fair price, and thereby bring about a revolution in the agricul- 

 ture of the country. These commodities are not produced in 

 greater quantity, because the people have no market for those 

 which now spring up almost spontaneously around them. The 

 above was put down in my journal when I had no idea that 



