Chap. XX. 
CUSTOM-HOUSE AEEANGEMENTS. 
895 
dance of good fish daily. The spac between it and the main¬ 
land, on which the city is built, is the station for ships. When a 
high south-west wind blows, the waves of the ocean dash over 
part of the island, and, driving large quantities of sand before 
them, gradually fill up the harbour. Great quantities of soil are 
also washed in the rainy season from the heights above the city, 
so that the port, which once contained water sufficient to float the 
largest ships close to the custom-house, is now at low water dry. 
The ships are compelled to anchor about a mile north of their old 
station. Nearly all the water consumed in Loanda is brought from 
the river Bengo by means of launches, the only supply that the 
city affords being from some deep wells of slightly brackish water; 
unsuccessful attempts have been made by different governors to 
finish a canal, which the Dutch, while in possession of Loanda 
during the seven years preceding 1648, had begun, to bring 
water from the river Coanza to the city. There is not a single 
Enghsh merchant at Loanda, and only two American. This is 
the more remarkable, as nearly all the commerce is carried on 
by means of English cahco brought hither via Lisbon. Several 
English houses attempted to estabhsh a trade about 1845, and 
accepted bills on Eio de Janeno in payment for their goods, but 
the increased activity of our cruisers had such an effect upon the 
mercantile houses of that city, that most of them failed. The 
Enghsh merchants lost all, and Loanda got a bad name in the 
commercial world in consequence. 
One of the arrangements of the custom-house may have had 
some influence in preventing Enghsh trade. Ships coming here 
must be consigned to some one on the spot; the consignee re¬ 
ceives one hundred dohars per mast, and he generahy makes a 
great deal more for himself, by putting a percentage on boats and 
men hired for loading and unloading, and on every item that 
passes through his hands. The port charges are also rendered 
heavy by twenty dohars being charged as a perquisite of the Secre¬ 
tary of Government, with a fee for the chief physician, something 
for the hospital, custom-house officers, guards, &c. &c. But with 
ah these drawbacks, the Americans carry on a brisk and profitable 
trade in cahco, biscuit, flour, butter, &c. &c. 
The Portuguese home Government has not generahy received 
the credit for sincerity in suppressing the slave-trade, which I 
