70 Trip to Shark's Point . 
discoveries 200 leagues of coast. When homeward 
bound, he met the Mwani-Sonho, and visited the 
Mwani-Congo, who lived at Ambasse Congo (Sao 
Salvador), distant 50 leagues (?). The ruler of 
the “great and wonderful River Zaire,” touched 
by his words, sent with him sundry youths, and 
the fidalgo Cacuta, who was baptized into Dom 
Joao, to receive instruction, and to offer a present 
of ivory and of palm cloth which was remarkably 
strong and bright. A request for a supply of 
mechanics and missionaries brought out the first 
mission of Dominicans. They sailed in December, 
1490, under Gongalo de Sousa ; they were followed 
by others, and in the sixteenth and seventeenth 
centuries the country was fairly over-run by 
the Propaganda. A future page will enter 
into more details, and show the results of their 
labours. 
The original Padrao was destroyed by the 
Dutch in 1645, an act of barbarism which is justly 
called “ Vandalica faganha.” Father Merollasays 
(1682), “ The Hollanders, out of envy, broke 
the fine marble cross to pieces ; nevertheless, 
so much remained of it, when I was there, as to 
discover plainly the Portuguese arms on the ruins 
of the basis, with an inscription under them in 
Gothic characters, though not easy to be read.” 
In 1859 a new one was placed in Turtle Cove, a 
few yards south-west of Shark Point; but the re- 
