172 
CONGOESE, 
among other nations. Accordingly, they imagine that the natives 
who come to traffic with them, are forced to that servile employment 
by their poverty, and the badness of their own country, whilst they them- 
selves can indulge their natural indolence, though attended with the 
nipst pinching poverty, rather than disgrace their blood by the least 
effort of industry, which, how laudable and beneficial soever, is looked 
upon by them as only a lesser degree of slavery. 
But though they generally esteem it below their dignity to apply to 
any useful work, they think it no disgrace to beg or steal. With 
respect to the first, they are said to be the most shameless and impor- 
tunate beggars in the world : they will take no denial, spare no 
crouching’, lying, or prayers, to obtain what they want ; nor curses and 
ill language, when sent away without it. With regard to the last; it 
is rather robbery than theft, for they deem no abstraction of property 
unlawful or scandalous, except it be committed in a private manner, 
without the knowledge of the person wronged. It is esteemed a 
piece of bravery and gallantry to wrench any thing from another by 
violence ; and this is so common, not only among the vulgar, but also 
among the great ones, that they make no scruple, in their travels from 
place to place, to seize not only upon the provisions they meet with 
in villages and towns, but upon every thing else that falls in their way. 
These violences oblige the poor people to conceal the few valuables 
they have, in some secret places, out of the knowledge ofthose harpies ; 
and they think themselves well off if they escape a severe bastinading, 
to make them discover the place of their concealment. 
The complexion of the natives is black, though some are of a much 
deeper black lhati others. Their hair is black, and finely curled ; 
some have it also of a dark sandy colour ; their eves are mostly of a 
fine lively black, but some of a dark sea-colour. They have neither 
fiat noses nor thick lips, like the other negroes. Their stature is mostly 
of the middle size, and, excepting their black complexion, in their 
persons they much resenffde the Portuguese. In temper they are 
mistrustful, envious, jealous, and treacherous ; and where they once 
take an affront, will spare no pains, nor stick at any means however 
base, to be avenged of, and crush their enemy under their feet. They 
are said to be destitute of natural affection. A husband, if a hea- 
then, may take as many wives as he pleases ; and if a Christian, may 
have a number of concubioes, v/hom he may divorce at pleasure, or 
even sell them, though with child. So little regard have they for their 
children, that there is scarcely one among them who will not sell a son 
or a daughter, or perhaps both, for a piece of cloth, a collar or girdle 
of coral or beads, and often for a bottle of wine or brandy. 
The Congoese, like most of the other African Indians, are extremely 
indolent. To this is to be ascribed the little produce they reap froo^ 
their lands ; while the Portuguese, settled among them, who are at more 
pains in the cultivation of theirs, enjoy all manner of plenty. The 
natives, however, had rather run the risk of the most terrible 
famines, than be at the tenth part of the labour they see the Portu- 
guese take. They seem to think it below them to use any other 
exercises than those of dancing, leaping, hunting, shooting, &c. ; the 
rest of their time they spend in smoking, and downright idleness, com- 
