410 
DESERTED CONVENT. 
Chap. XX[. 
CHAPTEE XXL 
Visit a deserted convent — Favourable report of Jesuits and tlieir teaching — 
Gradations of native society — Punishment of thieves — Palm-toddy ; its 
baneful effects — Freemasons — Marriages and funerals — Litigation — 
Mr. Canto’s illness — Bad behaviour of his slaves — An entertainment — 
Ideas on free-labour — Loss of American cotton-seed — Abundance of 
cotton in the country — Sickness of Sekeletu’s horse — Eclipse of the sun 
— Insects vvdiich distil water — Experiments with them — Proceed to Am- 
baca — Sickly season — Office of commandant — Punishment of official 
delinquents ■— Present from Mr. Schut of Loanda — Visit Pungo Andongo 
— Its good pasturage, grain, fruit, ^c. — The fort and columnar rocks — 
The Queen of Jinga — Salubrity of Pungo Andongo — Price of a slave — 
A merchant-prince — His hospitality — Hear of the loss of my papers in 
Forerunner” — Narrow escape from an alligator— Ancient burial-places 
— Neglect of agriculture in Angola — Manioc the staple product — Its 
cheapness — Sickness — Friendly visit from a coloured priest — The 
Prince of Congo — No priests in the interior of Angola. 
While waiting for the recovery of my men, I visited, in com¬ 
pany with my friend Mr. Canto, the deserted convent of St. 
Hilarion, at Bango, a few miles north-west of Golungo Alto. It 
is situated in a magnificent valley, containing a population num¬ 
bering 4000 hearths. This is the abode of the Sova, or Chief 
Bango, who still holds a place of authority under the Portuguese. 
The garden of the convent, the church, and dormitories of the 
brethren, are still kept in a good state of repah. I looked at the 
fmmiture, couches, and large chests for holding the provisions of 
the brotherhood with interest, and would fain have learned some¬ 
thing of the former occupants; but aU the books and sacred 
vessels had lately been removed to Loanda, and even the graves of 
the good men stand without any record: their resting-places are, 
however, carefully tended. AU speak weU of the Jesuits and 
other missionaries, as the Capucliins, &c., for having attended 
diUgently to the instruction of the children. They were sup¬ 
posed to have a tendency to take the part of the people against 
the Government, and were supplanted by priests, concerning whom 
no regret is expressed that they were allowed to die out. In 
