374 



SPINNING AND WEAVING. 



the spinners, and the men perform the weaving. Each 

 web is about 5 feet long, and 15 or 18 inches wide. The 

 loom is of the simplest construction, being nothing but 

 two beams placed one over the other, the web standing 

 perpendicularly. The threads of the web are separated 

 by means of a thin wooden lath, and the woof passed 

 through, by means of the spindle on which it has been 

 wound in spinning. 



The mode of spinning and weaving in Angola, and indeed 

 throughout South Central Africa, is very like the same occu- 

 pations in the hands of the ancient Egyptians as illustrated 

 by a woodcut in Sir Gardner Wilkinson's ' Ancient Egyp- 

 tians,' pp. 85, 86. The lower figures are engaged in 

 spinning in the real African method, and the weavers in 

 the left-hand corner have their web in the An^olese fashion. 



Numbers of other articles are brought for sale to these 

 sleeping-places. The native smiths there carry on their 

 trade. I bought ten very good table-knives made of 

 country iron for two pence each. 



Labour is extremely cheap, for I was assured that even 

 carpenters, masons, smiths, &c, might be hired for four- 

 pence a day, and agriculturists would gladly work for half 

 that sum.* 



* In order that the reader may understand the social position of 

 the people of this country, I here give the census of the district of 

 Golungo Alto for the year 1854, though the numbers are evidently 

 not all furnished : — 



238 householders or yeomen. 



3603 privileged gentlemen, i.e. 



4224 patrons, or head-men of 



who may wear boots. 



several hamlets. 



18 vagabonds. 



23 native chiefs or sovas. 



717 old men. 



292 macotas or councillors. 



54 blind men and women. 



5838 carriers. 



81 lame men and women. 



126 carpenters. 



770 slave men. 



72 masons. 



807 slave women. 



300 shoemakers. 



9578 free women. 



181 potters. 



393 possessors of land. 



25 tailors. 



300 female gardeners. 



12 barbers. 



139 hunters of wild animals. 



206 iron-founders. 



980 smiths. 



486 bellows-blowers. 



314 mat -makers. 



586 coke-makers. 



4065 males under 7 years of age. 



173 iron-miners. 



6012 females under 7 years of age 



184 soldiers of militia. 





