108 DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 
of all the Portuguese settlements on this coast. It 
is tolerably large and handsome, contains 3000 
whites, and an infinite number of negroes. The 
last were chiefly slaves to the whites, some of 
whom, being very rich, have hundreds, and even 
thousands of slaves. 
At Loanda, the missionaries procured guides to 
conduct them into the provinces of Sogno and Bam- 
ba. They at first proposed to walk ; but were as- 
sured, that this was a mode of travelling not at all 
suited to the country. Thirty negroes were there- 
fore appointed, to convey themselves and their bag- 
gage ; two of whom carried each missionary, swung 
in a species of hammock. They stopped for the 
night in the first libatte, or village, at which they 
arrived. This libatte consisted of about a hundred 
cottages, scattered over a wide space of ground in 
the most irregular manner. They were all of one 
construction ; " for throughout all the kingdom, 
there is never a stone house, but only of straw 
or stubble." These habitations, indeed, are used 
rather to sleep than to live in. The men spend 
the whole day in the open air, walking, conversing, 
amusing themselves, and playing on musical instru- 
ments. The women depart at day-break to till the 
ground, carrying or leading all their children along 
with them, and do not return till the evening. The 
village is surrounded with a strong hedge of thorns, 
for the purpose of excluding wild animals. 
