296 SANSAWE'S IDEA OF DIGNITY. Chap. XXII. 



masses of fleecy clouds, the intervening spaces being filled up 

 with a milk-and-water looking haze. Notwithstanding these 

 unfavourable circumstances, I obtained good observations for 

 the longitude of this important point on both sides of the 

 Quango, and found the river running in 9° 50' S. lat., 18° 33' 

 E. long. On proceeding to our former station near Sansawe's 

 village, he ran to meet us with wonderful urbanity, asking if 

 we had seen Moene Put, king of the white men (or Portuguese), 

 and concluding with an intimation that he would come to 

 receive his dues in the evening. I replied that, if he did not 

 bring a fowl and some eggs, as part of his duty as a chief, he 

 should receive no present from me. He arrived in due course 

 mounted on the shoulders of his spokesman, by way of 

 showing the exalted position he occupied, after the fashion of 

 the Southern Islanders when Captain Cook visited them. My 

 companions, amused at his idea of dignity, greeted him with a 

 hearty laugh. He visited the native traders first, and then 

 came to me with two cocks as a present. I spoke to him 

 about the impolicy of the treatment we had received at his 

 hands, and quoted the example of the Bangalas, who had been 

 conquered by the Portuguese for their extortionate demands 

 of payment for firewood, grass, water, &c. ; and concluded by 

 denying his right to an}^ payment for simply passing through 

 uncultivated land. To all this he agreed ; and then I gave 

 him, as a token of friendship, a pannikin of coarse powder, 

 two iron spoons, and two yards of coarse printed calico. He 

 looked rather superciliously at these articles, for he had just 

 received from Senhor Pascoal the Pombeiro a barrel con- 

 taining 18 lbs. of powder, 24 yards of calico, and two bottles 

 of brandy. Other presents were added the next day by the 

 Pombeiros, who informed me that it was necessary to give 

 largely, because their slaves and carriers are no great friends 

 to them ; and if they did not secure the friendship of these 

 petty chiefs, many slaves might be stolen with their loads 

 while passing through the forests. It is thus a sort of black- 

 mail that these insignificant chiefs levy ; and the native 

 traders pay simply as a bribe to keep them honest. Most ol 

 the carriers of my travelling companions were hired Basongo, 

 who required to be constantly watched in order to prevent 

 them from stealing the goods they carried. Salt, which ia 



