628 LACERDA'S VISIT TO CAZEMBE. 



houses, had a magnificent view of the two rivers at their conflu- 

 ence ; of their church at the angle ; and of all the gardens which 

 they had on both sides of the rivers. In these they cultivated 

 wheat without irrigation, and, as the Portuguese assert, of a grain 

 twice the size of that at Tete. From the guides we learned that 

 the inhabitants had not imbibed much idea of Christianity, for 

 they used the same term for the church bell which they did for 

 a diviner's drum. From this point the merchants had water 

 communication in three directions beyond, namely, from the Lo- 

 angwa to the N.N.W., by the Kafue to the W., and by the Zam- 

 besi to the S.W. Their attention, however, was chiefly attracted 

 to the N. or Londa ; and the principal articles of trade were ivory 

 and slaves. Private enterprise was always restrained, for the 

 colonies of the Portuguese being strictly military, and the pay of 

 the commandants being very small, the officers have always been 

 obliged to engage in trade ; and had they not employed their 

 power to draw the trade to themselves by preventing private 

 traders from making bargains beyond the villages, and only at 

 regulated prices, they would have had no trade, as they them- 

 selves were obliged to remain always at their posts. 



Several expeditions went to the north as far as to Cazembe, and 

 Dr. Lacerda, himself commandant of Tete, went to that chief's 

 residence. Unfortunately, he was cut off while there, and his 

 papers, taken possession of by a Jesuit who accompanied him, 

 were lost to the world. This Jesuit probably intended to act fair- 

 ly and have them published ; but soon after his return he was call- 

 ed away by death himself, and the papers were lost sight of. Dr. 

 Lacerda had a strong desire to open up communication with An- 

 gola, which would have been of importance then, as affording a 

 speedier mode of communication with Portugal than by the way 

 of the Cape ; but since the opening of the overland passage to 

 India, a quicker transit is effected from Eastern Africa to Lisbon 

 by way of the Red Sea. Besides Lacerda, Cazembe was visited 

 by Pereira, who gave a glowing account of that chief's power, 

 which none of my inquiries have confirmed. The people of 

 Matiamvo stated to me that Cazembe was a vassal of their chief; 

 and, from all the native visitors whom I have seen, he appears to 

 be exactly like Shinte and Katema, only a little more powerful. 

 The term "Emperor," which has been applied to him, seems totally 



