94 DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 
war, according to the assertion of the mission- 
aries, are eagerly devoured ; human flesh is con- 
sidered as the most delicious food, and goblets of 
warm blood the most exquisite beverage. The 
death of their kings, or other great men, is sig- 
nalized by a host of human sacrifices. All the 
details correspond with these general features, 
and compose a character far surpassing in atro- 
city that exhibited by the wildest savages of the 
new world. 
Zingha was sister to the king of Matamba, a king- 
dom which partially shared the atrocities of the 
Giagas. In 162^ she came to Angola to nego- 
ciate a treaty between her brother and the Portu- 
guese government. The council were struck with 
admiration and even astonishment at the acute- 
ness of her understanding, the vivacity of her 
wit, and the dignity of her deportment. As she 
made some stay at Angola, the viceroy proposed 
to her to be instructed in the mysteries of the 
Catholic religion. She readily agreed ; either 
was, or pretended to become, a convert, and was 
baptized before her departure. Soon after her 
return to Matamba, dissensions, which had arisen 
in her family, afforded her an opportunity of 
mounting the throne of Matamba. Finding then 
that the habits of her new profession were ill 
calculated to maintain her influence with her 
subjects, she renounced Christianity, and strove 
