414 
LOSS OF COTTON-SEED. 
Chap. XXT. 
gave an entertainment in order to draw all classes together and 
promote general good will. Two sovas or native chiefs were 
present, and took thek places without the least appearance of 
embarrassment. The sova of Kilombo appeared in the dress of 
a general, and the sova of Bango was gaily attired in a red coat, 
profusely ornamented with tinsel. The latter had a band of 
musicians with him consisting of six trumpeters and four drummers, 
who performed very well. These men are fond of titles, and the 
Portuguese Government humours them by conferring honorary 
captaincies, &c.: the sova of Bango was at present anxious to 
obtain the title of Major of all the Sovas.” At the tables of 
other gentlemen I observed the same thing constantly occurring. 
At this meeting Mr. Canto communicated sonj^ ideas which I had 
written out on the dignity of labom’, and the superiority of. free 
over slave labom\ The Portuguese gentlemen present were 
anxiously expecting an arrival of American cotton-seed from Mr. 
Gabriel. They are now in the transition state from unlawful to 
lawful trade, and turn eagerly to cotton, coffee, and sugar, as new 
som'ces of wealth. Mr. Canto had been commissioned by them 
to purchase three sugar-mills. Our cruisers have been the prin¬ 
cipal agents in compelling them to abandon the slave-trade; and 
our Government, m hmnishing them with a supply of cotton-seed, 
showed a generous intention to aid them in commencing a more 
honom’able course. It can scarcely be beheved, however, that 
after Lord Clarendon had been at the trouble of procuring fresh 
cotton-seed tlmough our minister at Washington, and had sent it 
out to the care of H. M. Commissioner at Loanda, probably 
from having fallen into the hands of a few mcorrigible slave- 
traders, it never reached its destination. It was most likely cast 
into the sea off Ambriz, and my friends at Golungo Alto were 
left without the means of commencing a new enterprise. 
Mr. Canto mentioned that there is now much more cotton in 
the country than can be consumed; and if he had possession of a 
few hundred pounds, he would buy up all the oil and cotton at a 
fair price, and thereby bring about a revolution in the agricul- 
tm’e of the country. These commodities are not produced in 
greater quantity, because the people have no market for those, 
which now spring up almost spontaneously around them. The 
above was put domi in my jommal, when I had no idea that 
