630 
DECADENCE OF POETUGUESE POWEK. Chap. XXXI. 
They were then removed to Tete, and here they enjoy much better 
health, though, from the abundance of spirits distilled from various 
plants, wild fruits, and grain, in which pernicious beverage they 
largely indulge, besides partaking chiefly of unwholesome native 
food, better health could scarcely have been expected. The 
natives here understand the method of distillation by means of 
giin-barrels, and a succession of earthen pots filled with water to 
keep them cool. The general report of the fever here is that, 
while at Kilimane the fever is continuous, at Tete a man re¬ 
covers in about three days. The mildest remedies only are used 
at first, and, it that period be passed, then the more severe. 
The fort of Tete has been the salvation of the Portuguese power 
in this quarter. It is a small square building, with a thatched 
apajiment for the residence of the troops; and though there are 
but few guns, they are m a much better state than those of any 
fort in the interior of Angola. The cause of the decadence of 
the Portuguese power in this region is simply this. In former 
times considerable quantities of grain, as wheat, millet, and maize, 
were exported, also coffee, sugar, oil, and indigo, besides gold- 
dust and ivory. The cultivation of grain was carried on by 
means of slaves, of whom the Portuguese possessed a large num¬ 
ber. The gold-dust was procured by washing at various points 
on the north, south, and west of Tete. A merchant took aU his 
slaves with him to the washhags, carrying as much calico and 
other goods as he could muster. On arriving at the washing- 
place he made a present to the cliief, of the value of about a 
pound sterling. The slaves were then divided into parties, each 
headed by a confidential servant, who not only had the supervision 
of his squad while the waslnng went on, but bought dust fr’om the 
inhabitants, and made a weekly return to his master. When 
several masters united at one spot, it was called a Bara,” and 
they then erected a temporary church, in which a priest from one 
of the missions performed mass. Both chiefs and people were 
favourable to these visits, because the traders purchased grain for 
the sustenance of the slaves with the goods they had brought. 
They continued at this labour until the whole of the goods 
were expended, and by this means about 130 lbs. of gold were 
annually produced. Probably more than this was actually ob¬ 
tained, but, as it Was an article easily secreted, this alone was 
