NARRATIVE OF MEROLLA, 
abounds. The palace and governor's house, how- 
ever, though built of the same materials, contain- 
ed several handsome rooms, and the walls were 
hung with mats, made of a delicate kind of ozier ; 
and two brass guns, obtained from Europeans in 
exchange for ivory and slaves, were mounted 
upon it. It appeared ridiculous to our author, 
that houses built of " straw, stakes, and oziers, 
** should be defended by brass guns." Merolla 
was invited to visit the king ; but understanding 
that he wore enchanted bracelets, and other magic 
charms on different parts of his person, he de- 
clined the honour. 
As Merolla was on his way to the northward, 
he received a message from the king of Congo, 
earnestly entreating a visit, as many years had 
elapsed since a Capuchin friar had been within 
his dominions. Such an invitation, from the 
most powerful monarch of that part of Africa, 
was not to be rejected. Our traveller, therefore, 
determined to recross the Zaire, and proceed to 
the capital of Congo. He proceeded to Boman- 
goi, where he hired a boat to convey him up the 
stream. He found the voyage extremely painful 
from the excessive heat, and from its being the 
season of the rains (March). During the night, 
he was obliged to sleep on the shore upon the 
wet ground, where he was tormented by a species 
of gnats, which he compares to horse-leeches, a? 
VOL. I, I 
