This is composed of the same sandstone rock,
with pebbles, which forms the flooring of the country.
The land is level,
has much open forest, and is well adapted for pasturage.
On reaching the confluence of the Lombe, we left the river,
and proceeded in a northeasterly direction, through a fine open green country,
to the village of Malange, where we struck into our former path.
A few miles to the west of this a path branches off to a new district named
the Duke Braganza. This path crosses the Lucalla and several of its feeders.
The whole of the country drained by these is described as extremely fertile.
The territory west of Braganza is reported to be mountainous,
well wooded and watered; wild coffee is abundant, and the people
even make their huts of coffee-trees. The rivers Dande, Senza, and Lucalla
are said to rise in one mountain range. Numerous tribes inhabit the country
to the north, who are all independent. The Portuguese power
extends chiefly over the tribes through whose lands we have passed.
It may be said to be firmly seated only between the rivers Dande and Coanza.
It extends inland about three hundred miles to the River Quango;
and the population, according to the imperfect data afforded by the census,
given annually by the commandants of the fifteen or sixteen districts
into which it is divided, can not be under 600,000 souls.
Leaving Malange, we passed quickly, without deviation, along the path
by which we had come. At Sanza (lat. 9d 37' 46" S., long. 16d 59' E.)
we expected to get a little seed-wheat, but this was not now to be found
in Angola. The underlying rock of the whole of this section
is that same sandstone which we have before noticed, but it gradually
becomes finer in the grain, with the addition of a little mica,
the farther we go eastward; we enter upon clay shale at Tala Mungongo
(lat. 9d 42' 37" S., long. 17d 27' E.), and find it dipping
a little to the west. The general geological structure
is a broad fringe of mica and sandstone schist (about 15 Deg. E.),
dipping in toward the centre of the country, beneath these
horizontal and sedimentary rocks of more recent date, which form
an inland basin. The fringe is not, however, the highest in altitude,
though the oldest in age.
While at this latter place we met a native of Bihe who has visited
the country of Shinte three times for the purposes of trade. He gave us
some of the news of that distant part, but not a word of the Makololo,
who have always been represented in the countries to the north
as a desperately savage race, whom no trader could visit with safety.
The half-caste traders whom we met at Shinte's had returned to Angola
with sixty-six slaves and upward of fifty tusks of ivory.
As we came along the path, we daily met long lines of carriers
bearing large square masses of beeswax, each about a hundred pounds weight,
and numbers of elephants' tusks, the property of Angolese merchants.
Many natives were proceeding to the coast also on their own account,
carrying beeswax, ivory, and sweet oil. They appeared to travel
in perfect security; and at different parts of the road
we purchased fowls from them at a penny each. My men took care
to celebrate their own daring in having actually entered ships,
while the natives of these parts, who had endeavored to frighten them
on their way down, had only seen them at a distance. Poor fellows!
they were more than ever attentive to me; and, as they were not obliged
to erect sheds for themselves, in consequence of finding them already built
at the different sleeping-places, all their care was bestowed
in making me comfortable. Mashauana, as usual, made his bed
with his head close to my feet, and never during the entire journey
did I have to call him twice for any thing I needed.
During our stay at Tala Mungongo, our attention was attracted
to a species of red ant which infests different parts of this country.
It is remarkably fond of animal food. The commandant of the village
having slaughtered a cow, slaves were obliged to sit up the whole night,
burning fires of straw around the meat, to prevent them from devouring
most of it. These ants are frequently met with in numbers like a small army.
At a little distance they appear as a brownish-red band,
two or three inches wide, stretched across the path, all eagerly pressing on
in one direction. If a person happens to tread upon them,
they rush up his legs and bite with surprising vigor. The first time
I encountered this by no means contemptible enemy was near Cassange.
My attention being taken up in viewing the distant landscape, I accidentally
stepped upon one of their nests. Not an instant seemed to elapse
before a simultaneous attack was made on various unprotected parts,
up the trowsers from below, and on my neck and breast above.
The bites of these furies were like sparks of fire, and there was no retreat.
I jumped about for a second or two, then in desperation
tore off all my clothing, and rubbed and picked them off seriatim
as quickly as possible. Ugh! they would make the most lethargic mortal
look alive. Fortunately, no one observed this rencounter,
or word might have been taken back to the village that I had become mad.
I was once assaulted in a similar way when sound asleep at night in my tent,
and it was only by holding my blanket over the fire that I could
get rid of them. It is really astonishing how such small bodies
can contain so large an amount of ill-nature. They not only bite,
but twist themselves round after the mandibles are inserted, to produce
laceration and pain, more than would be effected by the single wound.
Frequently, while sitting on the ox, as he happened to tread near a band,
they would rush up his legs to the rider, and soon let him know
that he had disturbed their march.
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