364 WELCOME TO I<OANDA. 



disease and care. The fever had induced a state of chronic 

 dysentery, so troublesome that I could not remain on the 

 ox more than ten minutes at a time ; and as we came down 

 the declivity above the city of Loanda on the 31st of May, 

 I was labouring under great depression of spirits, as I 

 understood that, in a population of twelve thousand souls, 

 there was but one genuine English gentleman. I naturally 

 felt anxious to know whether he were possessed of good 

 nature, or was one of those crusty mortals one would rather 

 not meet at all. 



This gentleman, Mr. Gabriel, our commissioner for the 

 suppression of the slave-trade, had kindly forwarded an 

 invitation to meet me on the way from Cassange, but 

 unfortunately it crossed me on the road. When we 

 entered his porch, I was delighted to see a number of 

 flowers cultivated carefully, and inferred from this cir- 

 cumstance, that he was what I soon discovered him to 

 be, a real whole-hearted Englishman. 



Seeing me ill, he benevolently offered me his bed. 

 Never shall I forget the luxuriant pleasure I enjoyed in 

 feeling myself again on a good English couch, after six 

 months' sleeping on the ground. I was soon asleep ; 

 and Mr. Gabriel, coming in almost immediately, rejoiced 

 at the soundness of my repose. 



CHAPTER XX. 



In the hope that a short enjoyment of Mr. Gabriel's 

 generous hospitality would restore me to my wonted 

 vigour, I continued under his roof ; but my complaint 

 having been caused by long exposure to malarious in- 

 fluences, I became much more reduced than ever, even 

 while enjoying rest. Several Portuguese gentlemen called 

 on me shortly after my arrival ; and the Bishop of 

 Angola, the Right Reverend Joaquim Moreira Reis, then 

 the acting governor of the province, sent his secretary 

 to do the same, and likewise to offer the services of the 

 government physician. 



Some of her Majesty's cruisers soon came into the port, 

 and, seeing the emaciated condition to which I was reduced, 



