4U LOSS OF COTTON-SEED. Chap. XXI. 



gave an entertainment in order to draw all classes together and 

 promote general good will. Two sovas or native chiefs were 

 present, and took then* places without the least appearance of 

 embarrassment. The sova of Kilombo appeared in the dress of 

 a general, and the sova of Bango was gaily attired in a red coat, 

 profusely ornamented with tinsel. The latter had a band of 

 musicians with liim consisting of six trumpeters and four drummers, 

 who performed very well. These men are fond of titles, and the 

 Portuguese Government humours them by conferring honorary 

 captaincies, &c. : the sova of Bango was at present anxious to 

 obtain the title of " Major of all the Sovas." At the tables of 

 other gentlemen I observed the same thing constantly occurring. 

 At tins meeting Mr. Canto communicated some ideas which I had 

 written out on the dignity of labour, and the superiority of free 

 over slave labour. The Portuguese gentlemen present were 

 anxiously expecting 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 prin- 

 cipal agents in compelling 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 

 honourable 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 destination. It was most likely cast 

 into the sea off Ambriz, and my friends at Golungo Alto were 

 left without the means of commencing 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 



