THE GIAGAS— ZINGHA. 99 
tion ; that infants should no longer be exposed 
" in the woods to be devoured by wild beasts ; 
" and that no one, under pain of death, should 
" eat human flesh." The missionaries then in- 
formed her, that, to complete these good works, 
one thing alone was wanting, which was, that she 
should marry. Zingha did not tamely acquiesce 
in this demand. She urged, that, after leading 
a long life of celibacy, it would be indecent and 
ridiculous, at the advanced age of seventy-five, to 
engage, for the first time, in the bonds of matri- 
mony. The missionaries, however, insisted, that 
it was altogether necessary to set this example to 
her subjects ; and she was probably aware, that 
they might have other motives, rather understood 
than expressed, derived from the course of life 
which she had been pursuing. She at last, there- 
fore, chose a young courtier of humble birth, but 
who, being a good Catholic, gave entire satisfac- 
tion to the missionaries. 
The most alarming sympton of relapse which 
the queen ever presented, occurred at the death 
of an old officer, whom she highly esteemed, on 
account of his military services. She sent to the 
missionaries, requesting that he might be buried 
in holy ground. This person had been outwardly 
a Christian ; but as his life had not been an orna- 
ment to the profession, the father would by no 
means hcurken to this proposition. The queen, 
