BETWEEN ANGOLA AND TEE ZAMBESI. 
507 
turn it, till it wears the aspect of a Roman helmet. 
Cowries seem to be profusely lavished in the adornment 
of the female head, and white or red coral is also visible, 
but not to the extent observable among the people to 
the west of the Cuanza. The hair in these stupendous 
head-dresses is fixed with a most nauseous red cosmetic, 
formed of a resinous substance reduced to powder and 
castor-oil. Castor-oil is prepared in great quantities 
among these people. After extracting the seeds of the 
Ricinus communis, they dry them and then reduce them 
to powder. This powder, kept for several hours in 
boiling water, furnishes the oil, which, when cold, is 
QUIMBANDE GIRLS. 
roughly separated from the water and preserved in small 
calabashes. The oil is not used by the natives as a 
purgative. I speedily remarked that the feminine type 
among the Quimbandes approaches somewhat to the 
Caucasian, and I saw T some women who would have 
been called pretty if they had not been black. 
Immediately upon my arrival I sent a small present 
to the Sova Mavanda, who was profuse in his thanks, 
although he pressed me further to give him a shirt. A 
like request had already been made me by others, 
proving a tendency in the direction of body-covering. 
The male natives cover their nakedness with two aprons 
of small antelope skins, wdiich they suspend before and 
behind from a broad belt of ox-hide. The Sovas alone 
use leopard skins. As to the women, they go almost 
