DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 91 
one whom they considered as holding a high rank 
in his native country. The father assures us, that, 
notwithstanding the force of the climate, it cost 
him nothing to reject positively all these proffers. 
He even succeeded in converting the king, and in 
prevailing upon him, out of five wives and innu- 
merable concubines, to retain only one. The no- 
bles, however, and the rest of the people, declared, 
in the most decided manner, that the immemorial 
practice of the country being to keep concubines, 
and eat human flesh, they would on no account re- 
nounce such valuable institutions at the mere com- 
mand of a stranger. This caused them to lend a 
ready ear to a certain evil disposed person, who as- 
sured them, that the father was a mere bankrupt 
merchant, and one, who having, by magical arts, 
caused the death of two sons of the king of Congo, 
had thus been obliged to fly in disguise, in hopes 
to escape the punishment of his crimes. Al- 
though this calumny was repelled by the king, 
it made a considerable impression upon the nation. 
When the missionary, therefore, proposed to un- 
dertake a journey into the kingdom of Anziko, he 
was advised, under present circumstances, to pro- 
ceed no farther ; an exhortation which he deemed 
it prudent not to reject. His sole converts in Con- 
cobella, therefore, being the king, queen, and the 
young prince, there appeared no sufficient motive 
for prolonging his stay, and he returned to Sundi. 
