456 FUNERAL OBSEQUIES. Chap. XXIII. 



astray. The treatment of the slaves witnessed by my men, cer- 

 tainly did not raise slaveholders in their estimation. Their usual 

 exclamation was, " Ga ba na pelu " (They have no heart) ; and 

 they added, with reference to the slaves, " Why do they let 

 them ?" as if they thought that the slaves had the natural right 

 to rid the world of such heartless creatures, and ought to do it. 

 The uneasiness of the trader was continually showing itself, and, 

 upon the whole, he had reason to be on the alert both day and 

 night. The carriers perpetually stole the goods intrusted to their 

 care, and he could not openly accuse them, lest they should 

 plunder him of all, and leave him quite in the lurch. He could 

 only hope to manage them after getting all the remaining goods 

 safely into a house in Cabango ; he might then deduct something 

 from then pay, for what they had purloined on the way. 



Cabango (lat. 9° 31' S., long. 20° 31' or 32' E.) is the dwelling- 

 place of Muanzanza, one of Matiamvo's subordinate chiefs. His 

 village consists of about two hundred huts, and ten or twelve 

 square houses, constructed of poles with grass interwoven. The 

 latter are occupied by half-caste Portuguese from Ambaca, agents 

 for the Cassange traders. The cold in the mornings was now 

 severe to the feelings, the thermometer ranging from 58° to 60°, 

 though, when protected, sometimes standing as high as 64° at 

 six a.m. When the sun is well up, the thermometer in the shade 

 rises to 80°, and in the evenings it is about 78°. 



A person having died in this village, we could transact no 

 business with the chief, until the funeral obsequies were finished. 

 These occupy about four days, during which there is a constant 

 succession of dancing, wailing, and feasting. Guns are fired by 

 day, and drums beaten by night, and all the relatives, dressed in 

 fantastic caps, keep up the ceremonies with spirit proportionate 

 to the amount of beer and beef expended. When there is a large 

 expenditure, the remark is often made afterwards, " What a fine 

 funeral that was ! " A figure, consisting chiefly of feathers and 

 beads, is paraded on these occasions, and seems to be regarded as 

 an idol. 



Having met with an accident to one of my eyes, by a blow 

 from a branch in passing through a forest, I remained some days 

 here, endeavouring, though with much pain, to draw a sketch of 

 the country thus far, to be sent back to Mr. Gabriel at Loanda. 



