THE PORTUGUESE AND THEIR FOLLOWERS. 23 
reign. They pointed to a place at a considerable 
distance in the interior, and undertook to guide thither 
a mission, which they pledged themselves, within a 
stipulated period, to lead back in safety. As the natives 
meantime passed and repassed on the most intimate 
footing, Diego took advantage of a moment when several 
of the principal persons were on board his ship, weighed 
anchor, and stood out to sea. He soothed the alarm 
visible on the countenances of their countrymen on 
shore by signs, intimating that this step w r as taken 
solely to gratify the anxious desire of his sovereign to 
see and converse with these African chiefs; that in 
fifteen moons they should certainly be brought back 
again, and that meanwhile a number of his people should 
be left as hostages. Diego then sailed to Lisbon, where 
he introduced with triumph these living trophies of liis 
discovery. The king was highly gratified, and held 
many conversations with the Congo princes, whom he 
loaded with honours, and caused to be conveyed back at 
the appointed period to the shores of the Zaire. On 
Diego’s arrival at that river, it was highly gratifying to 
see, waiting on the bank, the part of' his crew whom he 
had left as pledges, and respecting whom he had felt 
some anxiety. He was invited to court, where the king' 
not only received him with kindness, but agreed to 
embrace Christianity, and to send several of his prin¬ 
cipal lords to Europe, to be instructed in its principles. 
They sailed accordingly, and this new arrival of Congo 
leaders of the first rank gave fresh satisfaction at Lisbon. 
They remained two years, experiencing the very best 
treatment; and on their being considered ripe for bap¬ 
tism, the king stood godfather to the principal envoy, 
and his chief nobles to others, on which occasion the 
Africans received the names of the persons by whom 
they had been thus honoured. 
In 1490, a new armament, guided by Ruy de Sousa, 
conveyed back the Congo nobles to their native country. 
The Portuguese, on their arrival, were received by the 
king in full pomp. The native troops approached in 
three lines, making so prodigious a noise with horns. 
