440 SUPERSTITIOUS FEARS. Chap. XXII. 



mention that most of the flour which the Portuguese consumed, 

 came from another country, they exclaimed, " Are they ignorant 

 of tillage ?" " They know nothing but buying and selling : they 

 are not men !" I hope it may reach the ears of my Angolese 

 friends, and that they may be stirred up to develop the resources 

 of their fine country. 



On coming back to Cypriano's village on the 28th, we found 

 that Ins step-father had died after we had passed, and, accord- 

 ing to the custom of the country, he had spent more than his 

 patrimony in funeral orgies. He acted with Ins wonted kind- 

 ness, though, unfortunately, drinking has got him so deeply into 

 debt, that he now keeps out of the way of his creditors. He 

 informed us that the source of the Quango is eight days, or one 

 hundred miles, to the south of this, and in a range called Mo- 

 samba, in the country of the Basongo. We can see from tins, a 

 sort of break in the high land which stretches away round to 

 Tala Mongongo, through winch the river comes. 



A death had occurred in a village about a mile off, and the 

 people were busy beating drums and firing guns. The funeral 

 rites are half festive, half mourning, partaking somewhat of the 

 character of an Irish wake. There is nothing more heartrending 

 than then death wails. When the natives turn their eyes to the 

 future world, they have a view cheerless enough of their own 

 utter helplessness and hopelessness. They fancy themselves com- 

 pletely in the power of the disembodied spirits, and look upon the 

 prospect of following them, as the greatest of misfortunes. Hence 

 they are constantly deprecating the wrath of departed souls, 

 believing that, if they are appeased, there is no other cause of 

 death but witchcraft, winch may be averted by charms. The 

 whole of the coloured population of Angola are sunk in these 

 gross superstitions, but have the opinion, notwithstanding, that 

 they are wiser in these matters than their white neighbours. 

 Each tribe has a consciousness of following its own best interests 

 in the best way. They are by no means destitute of that self- 

 esteem which is so common in other nations ; yet they fear all 

 manner of phantoms, and have half-developed ideas and traditions 

 of something or other, they know not what. The pleasures of 

 animal life are ever present to their minds as the supreme good ; 

 and, but for the innumerable invisibilities, they might enjoy their 



