A Trip to Calumbo . 
33 
us, “ when they go abroad, which is seldom, they 
are carried in a covered net with attendance of 
captives.” All this is changed, except as regards 
leaving the house, which is never done during the 
day : constitutionals are not wanted in the tropics, 
and the negroes everywhere make the streets unfit, 
except for any but the very strongest-minded of 
the weaker sex. The evenings at Government 
House are passed with music and dancing, and 
petits jeux innocents for the juniors, whilst the 
seniors talk and play voltarete till midnight. I 
well remember one charming face, but I fear to 
talk about it—ten years in Africa cannot pass 
without the saddest changes. 
With an eye to future exploration, I was anxious 
to see something of the style of travel in Angola, 
and to prospect the proposed line of railway 
intended to checkmate the bar of the river 
Cuanza. The Cassange (Kasanjf) war on the 
eastern frontier had just ended honourably to 
Portuguese arms, but it proved costly ; the rich 
traffic of the interior had fallen off, and the well- 
known Feira was sending down its fairings to in¬ 
dependent Kinsembo. Moreover, in order to 
raise funds for the rail, the local Government 
talked of granting the land to an English com¬ 
pany for growing the highly prized gossypium 
arboreum. 
Sr. Joao Soares Caldeira, C.E., kindly asked me 
ii. 
D 
