408 ELEPHANT TUSKS — MORE FEVER. 



Loanda to this valley would secure the trade of most 

 of the interior of South Central Africa. 



As soon as we could move towards the Quango we did 

 so, meeting in our course several trading parties, both 

 native and Portuguese. We met two of the latter carrying 

 a tusk weighing 1 26 lbs. The owner afterwards informed 

 us that its fellow on the left side of the same elephant 

 was 130 lbs. It was 8 feet 6\ inches long, and 21 inches 

 in circumference at the part on which the lip of the animal 

 rests. The elephant was rather a small one, as is common 

 in this hot central region. Some idea may be formed of 

 the strength of his neck, when it is recollected that he 

 bore a weight of 256 lbs. The ivory which comes from 

 the east and north-east of Cassange is very much larger 

 than any to be found further south. Captain Neves 

 had one weighing 1 20 lbs. ; and this weight is by no means 

 uncommon. They have been found weighing even 

 158 lbs. 



Before reaching the Quango we were again brought 

 to a stand by fever in two of my companions, close to the 

 residence of a Portuguese who rejoiced in the name of 

 William Tell, and who lived here, in spite of the pro- 

 hibition of the government. We were using the water 

 of a pond, and this gentleman having come to invite me 

 to dinner, drank a little of it, and caught fever in con- 

 sequence. If malarious matter existed in water, it would 

 have been a wonder had we escaped ; for, travelling in 

 the sun, with the thermometer from 96 to 98 in the 

 shade, the evaporation from our bodies causing much 

 thirst, we generally partook of every water we came to. 

 We had probably thus more disease than others might 

 suffer who had better shelter. 



Mr. Tell remarked that his garden was rather barren, 

 being still, as he said, wild ; but when more worked it 

 would become better, though no manure be applied. 

 My men were busy collecting a better breed of fowls and 

 pigeons than those in their own country. Mr. Tell 

 presented them with some large specimens from Rio 

 Janeiro. Of these they were wonderfully proud, and bore 

 the cock in triumph through the country of the Balonda, 

 as evidence of having been to the sea. But when at the 

 village of Shinte, a hyaena came into our midst when we 

 were all sound asleep, and picked out the giant in his 

 basket from eighty-four others, and he was lost, to the 



