Chap. XXII. MORE FEVER. 439 



small one, as is common in this hot central region. Some idea 

 may be formed of the strength of his neck, when it is recollected 

 that he bore a weight of 256 lbs. The ivory which comes from 

 the east and north-east of Cassange, is very much larger than any 

 to be foimd further south. Captain Neves had one weighing 

 120 lbs. ; and this weight is by no means uncommon. They have 

 been found weighing even 158 lbs. 



Before reaching the Quango we were again brought to a stand 

 by fever in two of my companions, close to the residence of a 

 Portuguese who rejoiced in the name of William Tell, and who 

 lived here, in spite of the prohibition of the government. We 

 were using the water of a pond, and this gentleman having come 

 to invite me to dinner, drank a little of it, and caught fever in 

 consequence. If malarious matter existed in water, it would have 

 been a wonder had we escaped ; for, travelling in the sun, with 

 the thermometer from 96° to 98° in the shade, the evaporation 

 from our bodies causing much thirst, we generally partook of 

 every water we came to. We had probably thus more disease 

 than others might suffer who had better shelter. 



Mr. Tell remarked that his garden was rather barren, being 

 still, as he said, wold ; but when more worked it would become 

 better, though no manure be applied. My men were busy col- 

 lecting a better breed of fowls and pigeons than those in their 

 own country. Mr. Tell presented them with some large speci- 

 mens from Rio Janeiro. Of these they were wonderfully proud, 

 and bore the cock in triumph through the country of the Ba- 

 londa, as evidence of having been to the sea. But when at the 

 village of Shinte, a hysena came into our midst when we were 

 all sound asleep, and picked out the giant in his basket from 

 eighty-four others, and he was lost, to the great grief of my men. 

 The anxiety these people have always shown to improve the 

 breed of their domestic animals, is, I think, a favourable point 

 in their character. On looking at the common breeds in the 

 possession of the Portuguese, which are merely native cattle, and 

 seeing them slaughter both heifer-calves and cows, winch they 

 themselves never do, and likewise making no use of the milk, 

 they concluded that the Portuguese must be an inferior race of 

 white men. They never ceased remarking on the fine ground for 

 gardens over which we were passing ; and when I happened to 



