394 A MERCHANT-PRINCE. 



in a subsequent war with the Portuguese, she lost nearly 

 all her army in a great battle fought in 1 627 . She returned 

 to the church after a long period of apostasy, and died 

 in extreme old age ; and the Jinga still live as an inde- 

 pendent people to the north of this their ancient country. 

 No African tribe has ever been destroyed. 



In former times the Portuguese imagined that this place 

 was particularly unhealthy, and banishment to the black 

 rocks of Pungo Andongo was thought by their judges to 

 be a much severer sentence than transportation to any 

 part of the coast ; but this district is now well known 

 to be the most healthy part of Angola. The water is 

 remarkably pure, the soil is light, and the country open 

 and undulating, with a general slope down towards the 

 river Coanza, a few miles distant. That river is the 

 southern boundary of the Portuguese, and beyond, to 

 the S. and S.W., we see the high mountains of the Iyibollo. 

 On the S.B. we have also a mountainous country, inhabited 

 by the Kimbonda or Ambonda, who are said by Colonel 

 Pires to be a very brave and independent people, but 

 hospitable and fair in their dealings. They are rich in 

 cattle, and their country produces much bees' -wax, 

 which is carefully collected, and brought to the Portuguese, 

 with whom they have always been on good terms. 



The Ako (Haco), a branch of this family, inhabit the 

 left bank of the Coanza above this village, who, instead 

 of bringing slaves for sale, as formerly, now occasionally 

 bring wax for the purchase of a slave from the Portuguese. 

 I saw a boy sold for twelve shillings : he said that he 

 belonged to the country of Matiamvo. Here I bought a 

 pair of well-made boots of good tanned leather, which 

 reached above the knee, for five shillings and eight pence, 

 and that was just the price given for one pound of ivory 

 by Mr. Pires ; consequently the boy was worth two pairs 

 of boots, or two pounds of ivory. The Libollo on the S. 

 have not so good a character, but the Coanza is always 

 deep enough to form a line of defence. Colonel Pires 

 is a good example of what an honest industrious man in 

 this country may become. He came as a servant in a 

 ship, and by a long course of persevering labour, has 

 raised himself to be the richest merchant in Angola. He 

 possesses some thousands of cattle ; and, on any emer- 

 gency, can appear in the field with several hundred armed 

 slaves. 



