Owing To The Weakness Of The Men Who Had Been Sick, We Were Able
To March But Short Distances.
Three hours and a half brought us
to the banks of the Caloi, a small stream which flows into
The Senza.
This is one of the parts of the country reputed to yield petroleum,
but the geological formation, being mica schist, dipping toward the eastward,
did not promise much for our finding it. Our hospitable friend, Mr. Mellot,
accompanied us to another little river, called the Quango,
where I saw two fine boys, the sons of the sub-commandant, Mr. Feltao,
who, though only from six to eight years old, were subject to fever.
We then passed on in the bright sunlight, the whole country
looking so fresh and green after the rains, and every thing so cheering,
one could not but wonder to find it so feverish.
We found, on reaching Ambaca, that the gallant old soldier,
Laurence Jose Marquis, had, since our passing Icollo i Bengo,
been promoted, on account of his stern integrity, to the government
of this important district. The office of commandant is much coveted
by the officers of the line who come to Angola, not so much for the salary
as for the perquisites, which, when managed skillfully,
in the course of a few years make one rich. An idea may be formed
of the conduct of some of these officials from the following extract
from the Boletin of Loanda of the 28th of October, 1854:
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