86 DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 
manufactured, is the metal chiefly valued. Crys- 
tal is also abundant. Sundi, the capital, is situ- 
ated about six leagues below the cataracts. 
The mission to Sundi was undertaken by Fa- 
thers Jerome and Bonaventure. They experi- 
enced at first the utmost coldness and indifference ; 
nor could they, without the utmost difficulty, con- 
struct a wretched cabin of wood and straw, which 
might perform the functions of a church ; and 
when this church was completed, no one seemed 
inclined to enter it. It so happened, however, 
that an immense cloud of locusts passed over the 
city, and committed dreadful ravages in the sur^ 
rounding countiy. In this calamity, the people had 
recourse to the missionaries, who, reminding them 
of their sins, immediately ordered a solemn pro- 
cession. This did not produce any effect; but 
they continued their operations, till at length, 
after one of their solemn exorcisms, a high wind 
arose, and swept away those destructive intruders. 
The glory of this deliverance, in the eyes of a su- 
perstitious people, was readily ascribed to the mis- 
sionaries. The fame of this event reached the ears 
of the duke, who was then on the opposite side 
of the Congo, and excited in him a curiosity 
to see those by whom so signal a miracle had 
been wrought. Father Jerome therefore crossed 
the river, and repaired to the prince's residence. 
Arriving late at night, he was lodged, from re<= 
