398 VISITED BY A COLOURED CANON. 



different interior districts, for the purpose of baptizing and 

 marrying. He had lately been on a visit to Lisbon, in 

 company with the Prince of Congo, and had been invested 

 with an order of honour by the King of Portugal as an 

 acknowledgment of his services. Ke had all the appear- 

 ance of a true negro, but commanded the respect of the 

 people, and Colonel P., who had known him for thirty 

 years, pronounced him. to be a good man. There are only 

 three or four priests in Loanda, all men of colour, but 

 educated for the office. About the time of my journey in 

 Angola, an offer was made to any young men of ability 

 who might wish to devote themselves to the service of the 

 Church, to afford them the requisite education at the 

 University of Coimbra in Portugal. I was informed, on 

 what seemed good authority, that the Prince of Congo is 

 professedly a Christian, and that there are no fewer than 

 twelve churches in that kingdom, the fruits of the mission 

 established in former times at San Salvador, the capital. 

 These churches are kept in partial repair by the people, 

 who also keep up the ceremonies of the "Church, pro- 

 nouncing some gibberish over the dead, in imitation of the 

 Latin prayers which they had formerly heard. Many of 

 them can read and write. When a King of Congo dies, 

 the body is wrapped up in a great many folds of cloth, 

 until a priest can come from Loanda to consecrate his 

 successor. The King of Congo still retains the title of 

 Lord of Angola, which he had when the Jinga, the original 

 possessors of the soil, owed him allegiance ; and, when he 

 writes to the Governor of Angola, he places his own name 

 first, as if addressing his vassal. The Jinga paid him 

 tribute annually in cowries, which were found on the 

 island that shelters Loanda harbour, and, on refusing to 

 continue payment, the King of Congo gave over the island 

 to the Portuguese, and thus their dominion commenced 

 in this quarter. 



There is not much knowledge of the Christian religion in 

 either Congo or Angola, yet it is looked upon with a certain 

 degree of favour. The prevalence of fever is probably 

 the reason why no priest occupies a post in any part of the 

 interior. They come on tours of visitation like that men- 

 tioned, and it is said that no expense is incurred, for all 

 the people are ready not only to pay for their services, 

 but also to furnish every article in their power, gratuit- 

 ously. In view of the desolate condition of this fine 



