320 



ST. PHILIP DE BENGUELA. 



[1829. 



mile. The entrance of Port Alexander, or the north point of the penin- 

 sula, is in lat. 15° 45' S. 



June 4lh. — From this port we continued steering to the north, keep- 

 ing the boats close in-shore to examine the coast, until Thursday, the 

 4th day of June ; when, at two, P. M., we came to an anchor in the 

 port of St. Philip de Benguela, in four fathoms of water, sand and muddy 

 bottom, about half a mile off-shore. 



We had now reached the capital of an African kingdom, the seat 

 of one of her " hundred thrones," the limits of whose territories have 

 never been accurately defined by geographers. Though formerly 

 governed by its own monarchs, the subsequent incursions of the bar- 

 barous Giagas laid waste the country ; and the protection of the Por- 

 tuguese, who have built several forts along the coast, has not been able 

 to restore it to its former importance. 



The kingdom of Benguela is generally supposed to be bounded on 

 the north by Angola ; on the east by the river Rimba ; on the south by 

 Mataman ; and on the west by the Atlantic. Its coast begins at Cape 

 Negro on the south, and extends to Cape Ledo on the north : that is, 

 from lat. 15° 41' to 9° 20' S. Cape Negro forms its south-west ex- 

 tremity, and is distinguished by a lofty pillar of marble or alabaster, 

 on which is displayed the armorial insignia of the Braganza house. 

 This beautiful column was erected by Bartholomew Dias, in the year 

 1486; who the same year erected a marble cross on Pedestal Point, 

 at Angra Pequena. The principal towns of this kingdom are the fol- 

 lowing : — Old Benguela, situated upon a mountain ; St. Philip, or 

 New Benguela, the capital, where we now lay at anchor ; Manikendo, 

 and Kuschil. 



St. Philip, the capital, is a place of considerable trade, and next in 

 consequence to St. Paul de Loando, the capital of Angola. I am 

 sorry to add that its principal business had heretofore been a traffic 

 in human flesh — being frequented by the Brazilians for the purchase 

 of slaves, who are collected like cattle in the interior, and driven down 

 to the coast for sale. At the period of our arrival there were no 

 less than four Brazilian brigs nearly loaded with these unhappy human 

 beings. 



From Cape Negro a range of mountains extends northward, giving 

 existence to the springs of many fine rivers ; such as the Nika, St. 

 Francisco, Moreno, Farsa, Kuneni, and Canton-belle. The water of 

 the last of these rivers is of a strong saline quality, and is collected 

 into pits by the natives, for the purpose of manufacturing salt. The 

 mouth of this river, which is sheltered from the winds, is about sixteen 

 feet deep. On its north the sea forms a gulf, which the Dutch call 

 Good Bay, on account of its being an excellent watering-place. 



The natural productions of this province are similar to those of 

 Angola and Congo ; while vegetables and fruits of many different cli- 

 mates have been naturalized, and flourish exuberantly. The country 

 immediately surrounding St. Philip abounds with oranges, pineapples, 

 melons, plantains, bananas, palms, dates, cocoanuts, guavas, figs, 

 grapes, and a variety of other fruits. The vine flourishes finely, form- 

 ing natural arbours and alleys to shelter you from the fervid rays of 



