DISCOVERY OF CONGO. 65 
certain number of his men with presents for this 
prince ; obliging, however, the guides to engage, 
that they would bring them back in safety within 
a certain number of days. The stipulated period 
elapsed, without any appearance of their return. 
But the natives being well received, and gratified 
with little presents, came familiarly on board, as 
if they had been long intimate with the Portu- 
guese. In this state of affairs Diego formed his 
resolution. At a moment, when several of the 
principal natives were on board, he suddenly 
weighed anchor, and sailed for Portugal. He 
then intimated by signs to the people on shore, 
that he carried away their countrymen merely to 
gratify his sovereign's desire of seeing and con- 
versing with them ; that he would return in the 
space of fifteen moons ; and that, in the mean 
time, he left, as a security in their hands, those of 
his countrymen who had gone as ambassadors to 
the king. In fact, his grand object in this ma- 
noeuvre appears to have been, to carry home these 
living trophies of his discovery j and he hoped, 
by teaching them the Portuguese language, while 
those left behind should acquire that of Congo, 
that a regular channel of communication might 
be opened. The king, on the arrival of this 
party, felt all the joy which his commander ex- 
pected. In consequence of the instruction which 
the Africans had received on the passage, they 
VOL. I. K 
