DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE^ 83 
longest established customs, and to abridge human 
life of its most indispensable rights and comforts. 
Yet, in a short time, without its being fully ex- 
plained how, he changed his views,- — dismissed all 
his seraglio, — and was married, according to the 
rules of the church, to a princess of Congo. Some 
symptoms of frailty soon made their appearance ; 
but the missionaries succeeded, while they remain- 
ed at Batta, in preserving him from any serious 
relapse. Finding every thing prosperous in the 
capital, they determined to make a tour through 
the country districts. They did not find much 
disposition to embrace their doctrine ; on the con- 
trary, their preaching, their foreign aspect, and 
their ignorance of the country, afforded often sub- 
jects of merriment to the rustic inhabitants. A 
favourite entertainment seems to have been, to call 
to them that wild beasts were approaching, which 
could only be escaped by flying to the tops of trees, 
and to observe the vain attempts of the mission- 
aries to perform that feat of agility. It was only 
by producing the orders of the duke that they 
were able to command a temporary submission. 
On their return to Batta they found a dismal 
change. The duke, taking advantage of their ab- 
sence, had re-established his seraglio, on an aug- 
mented scale, and all the chiefs were hastening 
to follow his example. This relapse proved much 
more obstinate than the original malady. Before 
