102 DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 
are situated thirty-two villages, the inhabitants of 
which subsist entirely on the spontaneous produce 
of the earth. The trees grow to an extraordinary 
"Tieight ; all the fruits of Africa are reared in per- 
fection ; the oranges, in particular, are equal to 
any in the world. Their religion was derived from 
the impious sect of the Giagas. In 1655, two 
missionaries were sent from Massangano to con- 
vert the inhabitants of this rock-district. On com- 
ing to the foot of it, they were first admitted by 
what was called the gate, consisting of a long and 
narrow pass, through which they, with difficulty, 
made their way, by creeping on all-fours. They 
then came into one of the ravines, a complete la- 
byrinth of rocks and bushes, through which, with- 
out a guide, it would have been altogether impos- 
sible to penetrate. The guides led them to the 
foot of a lofty rock, which, to their eyes, appear- 
ed altogether inaccessible. Their negroes, how- 
ever, sprung up like goats ; but the fathers, in at- 
tempting to imitate this agility, were soon com- 
pelled to call aloud for help. The negroes re- 
turned, took them on their shoulders, and leapt 
with them from rock to rock, till they arrived at 
the palace of the king, Angola Aarij. That mo- 
narch took them in his arms, embraced them, and 
assured them of every aid which he could afford to 
their efforts to diffuse the Christian faith. They 
were then shewn to an interim habitation, which 
