PIONEERING EXPEDITION TO SAN SALVADOR. 75 
Pedro or Totola, as he is called by his people, sitting 
outside his house, his chair placed on an old piece of 
carpet. Taking off our hats as we approached, we 
shook hands with the king and inquired after his 
welfare. He placed chairs for his English guests and 
seemed glad to see us.” 
On a large Baobab tree Grandy^s initials were 
observed, which were cut when he was on his way 
to find Livingstone ; underneath, the missionaries 
inscribed, “ G. G., ’78,” and “ T. J. C., ’78.” It may 
here be stated that Congo was discovered by the 
Portuguese in the year 1484 ; that very soon after the 
discovery emissaries from the Roman Catholic Church 
were sent forth to establish the catholic faith ; that 
the chief town of Congo Land was named San 
Salvador ; the then king was baptised, and that, 
in course of time, a cathedral, churches, a convent, 
and a monastery, were built. In less than fifty years, 
however, in consequence of other discoveries, the 
importance of San Salvador declined ; and, on the 
retirement of the Jesuits, the people of San Salvador 
readily threw off the nominal Christianity which, 
against their will, had been imposed upon them, and 
showed their hostile feeling towards the invaders by 
demolishing the religious edifices they had erected. 
The Portuguese Government did not, however, relin- 
quish its hold upon the country ; and at the recent 
Berlin conference, the territorial rights of Portugal, 
as extending up to the south bank of the Congo, and 
reaching over a considerable region inland, including 
San Salvador, were formally recognised. 
Although for many years no efforts had been made 
on behalf of the people in San Salvador by the 
Roman Catholic Church, the movements of the 
English Baptist Missionary Society did not escape 
her ever-watchful eyes ; the consequence was that on 
their arrival the missionaries found that a Jesuit father. 
Padre Lazaro, had preceded them and was duly 
established. 
