THE PROVINCE OF ANGOLA. 165 



capabilities, both agriculturally and commercially, are of a very high, order ; 

 indeed, I do not fear contradiction in asserting it to be the richest in resources 

 of Western Africa. 



" As I have now had the advantage of passing through the province twice, 

 and have honestly endeavoured to obtain correct knowledge of the country, I 

 venture to give you my impressions, as not calculated to mislead any except 

 those whose general views of the world are much more gloomy than mine. 



" As we proceed from the coast inland, the country, except in the vicinity 

 of rivers, presents a rather arid appearance. There are not many trees, but 

 abundance of hard, coarse grass. But the low meadow-lands, of several miles 

 width, lying adjacent to the rivers, are sufficiently fertile, and yield annually 

 fine crops of sugar-cane, different vegetables and manioc (the staff of life 

 through all this part of Africa), also oranges, bananas, and mangoes, of 

 excellent quality. Proceeding eastwards, we enter on a different sort of 

 country, about longitude 14° E. It is mountainous, well watered with 

 perennial streams, and mollified by fogs deposited from the western winds, 

 which come regularly to different places at different hours every day. Near 

 the Muria we enter dense forests, whose gigantic trees, covered with scarlet or 

 other coloured blossoms, and giving support to numerous enormous climbers, 

 with the curious notes of strange tropical birds, present the idea of excessive 

 luxuriance, and recall the feelings of wildness produced when standing in 

 similar sylvan scenery in the interior of Brazil. The palm which yields the 

 oil of commerce grows everywhere. Pine apples, bananas, and different kinds 

 of South American fruit-trees first introduced by the missionaries, flourish in 

 the woods, though apparently wild and totally uncared for. Most excellent 

 coffee, from a few seeds of the celebrated Mocha, propagates itself spon- 

 taneously in the forests which line the mountain-sides. Cotton of rather 

 inferior quality finds itself so well suited with climate and soil, that it appears 

 as if indigenous. Provisions are abundant and cheap. Ten pounds of the 

 produce of the manioc plant, which, under the classical appellation ' Revalenta 

 Arabica,' sells in England for twenty-two shillings, may, in the district 

 referred to, be purchased for one penny. Labour, too, is abundant and 

 cheap ; twopence per day is considered good wages by carpenters, smiths, 

 potters, &c, as well as by common labourers. The greatest drawback the 

 population has in developing the resources of the country, is the want of 

 carriage-roads for the conveyance of produce to markets. The slave-trade 

 led to the neglect of every permanent source of wealth. All the merchandise 

 of the interior was transported on the shoulders and heads of the slaves, who, 

 equally with the goods, were intended for exportation. And even since the 

 traffic has been effectually repressed by our cruisers, human labour for trans- 

 port has alone been available. This is a most expensive and dilatory system, 

 as the merchants and persons of smaller means, on whose industry access to a 



