410 DESEETED CONVENT. Ciiap. XXL 



CHAPTEE XXL 



Visit a deserted convent — Favourable report of Jesuits and their teaching — 

 Gradations of native society — Punishment of thieves — Palm-toddy ; its 

 baneful effects — Freemasons — Marriages and funerals — Litigation — 

 Mr. Canto's illness — Bad behaviour of his slaves — An entertainment — 

 Ideas on free-labour — Loss of American cotton-seed — Abundance of 

 cotton in the country — Sickness of Sekeletu's horse — Eclipse of the sun 



— Insects which distil water — Experiments with them — Proceed to Am- 

 baca — Sickly season — Office of commandant — Punishment of official 

 delinquents — Present from Mr. Schut of Loanda — Visit Pungo Andongo 



— Its good pasturage, grain, fruit, &c. — The fort and columnar rocks — 

 The Queen of Jinga — Salubrity of Pungo Andongo — Trice of a slave — 

 A merchant-prince ■ — His hospitality — Hear of the loss of my papers in 

 " Forerunner" — Narrow escape from an alligator — ■ Ancient burial-places 



— Neglect of agriculture in Angola — Manioc the staple product — Its 

 cheapness — Sickness — Friendly visit from a coloured priest — The 

 Prince of Congo — No priests in the interior of Angola. 



While waiting for the recovery of my men, I visited, in com- 

 pany with my friend Mr. Canto, the deserted convent of St. 

 Hilarion, at Bango, a few miles north-west of Golungo Alto. It 

 is situated in a magnificent valley, containing a population num- 

 bering 4000 hearths. Tins is the abode of the Sova, or Chief 

 Bango, who still holds a place of authority under the Portuguese. 

 The garden of the convent, the church, and dormitories of the 

 brethren, are still kept in a good state of repair. I looked at the 

 furniture, couches, and large chests for holding the provisions of 

 the brotherhood with interest, and would fain have learned some- 

 tliing of the former occupants ; but all the books and sacred 

 Vessels had lately been removed to Loanda, and even the graves of 

 the good men stand without any record : their resting-places are, 

 however, carefully tended. All speak well of the Jesuits and 

 other missionaries, as the Capuchins, &c, for having attended 

 diligently to the instruction of the children. They were sup- 

 posed to have a tendency to take the part of the people against 

 the Government, and were supplanted by priests, concerning whom 

 no regret is expressed that they were allowed to die out. In 



