Ciiap. XIX, SALE OF IVORY. 253 



Cattle also thrive, so that the capabilities of the countiy may 

 be regarded as very great. They are not however turned to 

 account, for the Portuguese devote themselves almost exclu- 

 sively to trading in wax and ivory, and, though the country 

 would yield any amount of corn and dairy produce, they 

 prefer to purchase their flour, bread, butter, and cheese from 

 the Americans. 



As the traders of Cassange were the first white men we 

 reached, we sold the tusks belonging to Sekeletu, which had 

 been brought to test the difference of prices in the Makololo 

 and white men's country. The result was highly satifactor) 

 to my companions, as the Portuguese give much larger prices 

 for ivory than the traders from the Cape, who labour under 

 the double disadvantage of overland expenses and ruinous 

 restrictions. Two muskets, three small barrels of gunpowder, 

 and English calico and baize sufficient to clothe my whole 

 party, with large bunches of beads, were given in exchange 

 for one tusk, to the great delight of those who had been accus- 

 tomed to get only one gun for two tusks. With another tusk 

 we procured calico, which is the chief currency here, to pay 

 our way down to the coast. The remaining two were sold for 

 money, in order to purchase a horse for Sekeletu at Loanda. 



The superiority of this new market astounded the Makololo, 

 and they began to abuse the traders by whom they had been 

 visited in their own country, and who had, as they now 

 declared, " cheated them." They had no idea of the value of 

 time and carriage, and it was somewhat difficult for me to 

 convince them that the difference of prices arose from their 

 having come hither ; but that, if the Portuguese had to carry 

 goods to their country, they would not be so liberal in their 

 prices. I believe I gave them at last a clear idea of the 

 manner in which prices were regulated by the expenses 

 incurred ; and when we went to Loanda, and saw goods 

 delivered at a still cheaper rate, they concluded that it would 

 be better for them to come to that city than to trade at 

 Cassange. 



The Commandant very handsomely offered me a soldier as 

 a guard to Ambaca. My men told me that they had been 

 thinking it would be better to turn back here, as they had 

 been informed by the people of colour at Cassange that I was 



u 



