454 OFFICIAL DELINQUENTS. 



the natives, and this season is denominated " Carneirado," as if 

 by the disease they were slaughtered like sheep. The season of 

 these changes, which is the most favorable for Europeans, is the 

 most unhealthy for the native population ; and this is by no means 

 a climate in which either natives or Europeans can indulge in ir- 

 regularities with impunity. 



Owing to the weakness of the men who had been sick, we were 

 able to march but short distances. Three hours and a half 

 brought us to the banks of the Caloi, a small stream which flows 

 into the Senza. This is one of the parts of the country reputed 

 to yield petroleum, but the geological formation, being mica schist, 

 dipping toward the eastward, did not promise much for our find- 

 ing it. Our hospitable friend, Mr. Mellot, accompanied us to 

 another little river, called the Quango, where I saw two fine boys, 

 the sons of the sub-commandant, Mr. Feltao, who, though only 

 from six to eight years old, were subject to fever. We then pass- 

 ed on in the bright sunlight, the wnole country looking so fresh 

 and green after the rains, and every thing so cheering, one could 

 not but wonder to find it so feverish. 



We found, on reaching Ambaca, that the gallant old soldier, 

 Laurence Jose Marquis, had, since our passing Icollo i Bengo, 

 been promoted, on account of his stern integrity, to the govern- 

 ment of this important district. The office of commandant is 

 much coveted by the officers of the line who come to Angola, not 

 so much for the salary as for the perquisites, which, when man- 

 aged skillfully, in the course of a few years make one rich. An 

 idea may be formed of the conduct of some of these officials from 

 the following extract from the Boletin of Loanda of the 28th of 

 October, 1854 : 



" The acting governor-general of the province of Angola and 

 its dependencies determines as follows : 



" Having instituted an investigation (Syndecancia) against the 

 commandant of the fort of , a captain of the army of Por- 

 tugal in commission in this province, , on account of numer- 

 ous complaints, which have come before this government, of 

 violences and extortions practiced by the said commandant, and 

 those complaints appearing by the result of the investigation to 

 be w T ell founded, it will be convenient to exonerate the captain 

 referred to from the command of the fort of , to which he 



