DuringourstayatTalaMungongo，ourattentionwasattractedtoaspeciesofredantwhichinfestsdifferentpartsofthiscountry。
ItisremarkablyfondofanimalfoodThecommandantofthevillagehavingslaughteredacow，slaveswereobligedtositupthewholenight，burningfiresofstrawaroundthemeat，topreventthemfromdevouringmostofitTheseantsarefrequentlymetwithinnumberslikeasmallarmy。
Atalittledistancetheyappearasabrownish-redband，twoorthreeincheswide，stretchedacrossthepath，alleagerlypressingoninonedirectionIfapersonhappenstotreaduponthem，theyrushuphislegsandbitewithsurprisingvigorThefirsttimeIencounteredthisbynomeanscontemptibleenemywasnearCassange。
Myattentionbeingtakenupinviewingthedistantlandscape，IaccidentallysteppedupononeoftheirnestsNotaninstantseemedtoelapsebeforeasimultaneousattackwasmadeonvariousunprotectedparts，upthetrowsersfrombelow，andonmyneckandbreastabove。
Thebitesofthesefurieswerelikesparksoffire，andtherewasnoretreat。
Ijumpedaboutforasecondortwo，thenindesperationtoreoffallmyclothing，andrubbedandpickedthemoffseriatimasquicklyaspossibleUgh！theywouldmakethemostlethargicmortallookaliveFortunately，nooneobservedthisrencounter，orwordmighthavebeentakenbacktothevillagethatIhadbecomemad。
Iwasonceassaultedinasimilarwaywhensoundasleepatnightinmytent，anditwasonlybyholdingmyblanketoverthefirethatIcouldgetridofthemItisreallyastonishinghowsuchsmallbodiescancontainsolargeanamountofill-natureTheynotonlybite，buttwistthemselvesroundafterthemandiblesareinserted，toproducelacerationandpain，morethanwouldbeeffectedbythesinglewound。
Frequently，whilesittingontheox，ashehappenedtotreadnearaband，theywouldrushuphislegstotherider，andsoonlethimknowthathehaddisturbedtheirmarchTheypossessnofear，attackingwithequalferocitythelargestaswellasthesmallestanimals。
Whenanypersonhasleapedovertheband，numbersofthemleavetheranksandrushalongthepath，seeminglyanxiousforafightTheyareveryusefulinriddingthecountryofdeadanimalmatter，and，whentheyvisitahumanhabitation，clearitentirelyofthedestructivewhiteantsandotherverminTheydestroymanynoxiousinsectsandreptiles。
Theseverityoftheirattackisgreatlyincreasedbytheirvastnumbers，andrats，mice，lizards，andeventhe`Pythonnatalensis’，wheninastateofsurfeitfromrecentfeeding，fallvictimstotheirfierceonslaughtTheseantsnevermakehillslikethewhiteant。
Theirnestsarebutashortdistancebeneaththesoil，whichhasthesoftappearanceoftheabodesofantsinEngland。
Occasionallytheyconstructgalleriesovertheirpathtothecellsofthewhiteant，inordertosecurethemselvesfromtheheatofthesunduringtheirmaraudingexpeditions。
JANUARY15TH，1855WedescendedinonehourfromtheheightsofTalaMungongoIcountedthenumberofpacesmadeontheslopedownward，andfoundthemtobesixteenhundred，whichmaygiveaperpendicularheightoffromtwelvetofifteenhundredfeetWaterboiledat206DegreesatTalaMungongoabove，andat208Degatthebottomofthedeclivity，theairbeingat72Degintheshadeintheformercase，and94DeginthelatterThetemperaturegenerallythroughoutthedaywasfrom94Degto97Deginthecoolestshadewecouldfind。
TherivuletswhichcutupthevalleyofCassangewerenowdry，buttheLuiandLuarecontainedabundanceofratherbrackishwater。
Thebanksarelinedwithpalm，wilddate-trees，andmanyguavas，thefruitofwhichwasnowbecomingripeAtreemuchlikethemangoabounds，butitdoesnotyieldfruitIntheseriversakindofediblemuscleisplentiful，theshellsofwhichexistinallthealluvialbedsoftheancientriversasfarastheKurumanThebrackishnatureofthewaterprobablyenablesittoexisthereOntheopengrassylawnsgreatnumbersofaspeciesoflarkareseenTheyareblack，withyellowshouldersAnotherblackbird，withalongtail`CentropusSenegalensis’，floatsawkwardly，withitstailinaperpendicularposition，overthelonggrassItalwayschoosesthehighestpoints，andiscaughtonthemwithbird-lime，thelongblacktail-feathersbeinghighlyesteemedbythenativesforplumes。
Wesawherealsothe“Lehututu“`TragopanLeadbeaterii’，alargebirdstronglyresemblingaturkey；itisblackontheground，butwhenitfliestheouterhalfofthewingsarewhiteItkillsserpents，strikingthemdexterouslybehindtheheadItderivesitsnativenamefromthenoiseitmakes，anditisfoundasfarasKolobeng。
AnotherspecieslikeitiscalledtheAbyssinianhornbill。
BeforewereachedCassangewewereovertakenbythecommandant，SenhorCarvalho，whowasreturning，withadetachmentoffiftymenandafield-piece，fromanunsuccessfulsearchaftersomerebels。
Therebelshadfled，andallhecoulddowastoburntheirhuts。
Hekindlyinvitedmetotakeupmyresidencewithhim；but，notwishingtopassbythegentlemanCaptainNeveswhohadsokindlyreceivedmeonmyfirstarrivalinthePortuguesepossessions，Ideclined。
SenhorRegohadbeensupersededinhiscommand，becausetheGovernorAmaral，whohadcomeintoofficesincemydeparturefromLoanda，haddeterminedthatthelawwhichrequirestheofficeofcommandanttobeexclusivelyoccupiedbymilitaryofficersofthelineshouldoncemorecomeintooperationIwasagainmostkindlywelcomedbymyfriend，CaptainNeves，whomIfoundlaboringunderaviolentinflammationandabscessofthehandThereisnothinginthesituationofthisvillagetoindicateunhealthiness，except，perhaps，therankluxurianceofthevegetation。
NearlyallthePortugueseinhabitantssufferfromenlargementofthespleen，theeffectsoffrequentintermittents，andhavegenerallyasicklyappearance。
Thinkingthatthisaffectionofthehandwassimplyaneffortofnaturetogetridofmalariousmatterfromthesystem，IrecommendedtheuseofquinineHehimselfappliedtheleafofaplantcalledcathory，famedamongthenativesasanexcellentremedyforulcers。
Thecathoryleaves，whenboiled，exudeagummyjuice，whicheffectuallyshutsouttheexternalairEachremedy，ofcourse，claimedthemeritofthecure。
ManyofthechildrenarecutoffbyfeverAfineboyofCaptainNeves’had，sincemypassagewestward，sharedasimilarfateAnotherchilddiedduringtheperiodofmyvisitDuringhissickness，hismother，awomanofcolor，sentforadivinerinordertoascertainwhatoughttobedoneThediviner，afterthrowinghisdice，workedhimselfintothestateofecstasyinwhichtheypretendtobeincommunicationwiththeBarimoHethengavetheoracularresponsethatthechildwasbeingkilledbythespiritofaPortuguesetraderwhooncelivedatCassangeThecasewasthis：onthedeathofthetrader，theotherPortuguesemerchantsinthevillagecametogether，andsoldthegoodsofthedepartedtoeachother，eachmanaccountingfortheportionreceivedtothecreditorsofthedeceasedatLoanda。
Thenatives，lookingon，andnotunderstandingthenatureofwrittenmercantiletransactions，concludedthatthemerchantsofCassangehadsimplystolenthedeadman’sgoods，andthatnowthespiritwaskillingthechildofCaptainNevesfortheparthehadtakenintheaffair。
Thediviner，inhisresponse，revealedtheimpressionmadeonhisownmindbythesale，andlikewisethenativeideasofdepartedsouls。
Astheygivethewhitescreditforgreaterstupiditythanthemselvesinallthesematters，themotherofthechildcame，andtoldthefatherthatheoughttogiveaslavetothedivinerasafeetomakeasacrificetoappeasethespiritandsavethelifeofthechildThefatherquietlysentforaneighbor，and，thoughthedivinerpretendedtoremaininhisstateofecstasy，thebriskapplicationoftwostickstohisbacksuddenlyreducedhimtohissensesandamostundignifiedflight。
ThemotherofthischildseemedtohavenoconfidenceinEuropeanwisdom，and，thoughIdesiredhertokeepthechildoutofcurrentsofwind，shepreferredtofollowherowncustom，andevengotitcuppedonthecheeks。
Theconsequencewasthatthechildwassooninadyingstate，andthefatherwishingittobebaptized，IcommendeditssoultothecareandcompassionofHimwhosaid，“Ofsuchisthekingdomofheaven。”
Themotheratoncerushedaway，andcommencedthatdolefulwailwhichissoaffecting，asitindicatessorrowwithouthope。
Shecontinueditwithoutintermissionuntilthechildwasburied。
Intheeveningherfemalecompanionsusedasmallmusicalinstrument，whichproducedakindofscreechingsound，asanaccompanimentofthedeathwail。
Intheconstructionofthisinstrumenttheymakeuseofcaoutchouc，which，withavarietyofothergums，isfoundindifferentpartsofthiscountry。
Theintercoursewhichthenativeshavehadwithwhitemendoesnotseemtohavemuchamelioratedtheircondition。
AgreatnumberofpersonsarereportedtolosetheirlivesannuallyindifferentdistrictsofAngolabythecruelsuperstitionstowhichtheyareaddicted，andthePortugueseauthoritieseitherknownothingofthem，orareunabletopreventtheiroccurrence。
Thenativesareboundtosecrecybythosewhoadministertheordeal，whichgenerallycausesthedeathofthevictimAperson，whenaccusedofwitchcraft，willoftentravelfromdistantdistrictsinordertoassertherinnocencyandbravethetestTheycometoariverontheCassangecalledDua，drinktheinfusionofapoisonoustree，andperishunknown。
Awomanwasaccusedbyabrother-in-lawofbeingthecauseofhissicknesswhilewewereatCassangeSheofferedtotaketheordeal，asshehadtheideathatitwouldbutproveherconsciousinnocence。
CaptainNevesrefusedhisconsenttohergoing，andthussavedherlife，whichwouldhavebeensacrificed，forthepoisonisveryvirulent。
Whenastrongstomachrejectsit，theaccuserreiterateshischarge；
thedoseisrepeated，andthepersondiesHundredsperishthuseveryyearinthevalleyofCassange。
ThesamesuperstitiousideasbeingprevalentthroughthewholeofthecountrynorthoftheZambesi，seemstoindicatethatthepeoplemustoriginallyhavebeenoneAllbelievethatthesoulsofthedepartedstillmingleamongtheliving，andpartakeinsomewayofthefoodtheyconsume。
Insickness，sacrificesoffowlsandgoatsaremadetoappeasethespirits。
ItisimaginedthattheywishtotakethelivingawayfromearthandallitsenjoymentsWhenonemanhaskilledanother，asacrificeismade，asiftolaythespiritofthevictimAsectisreportedtoexistwhokillmeninordertotaketheirheartsandofferthemtotheBarimo。
Thechieftainshipiselectivefromcertainfamilies。
AmongtheBangalasoftheCassangevalleythechiefischosenfromthreefamiliesinrotationAchief’sbrotherinheritsinpreferencetohissonThesonsofasisterbelongtoherbrother；
andheoftensellshisnephewstopayhisdebtsBythisandotherunnaturalcustoms，morethanbywar，istheslave-marketsupplied。
TheprejudicesinfavorofthesepracticesareverydeeplyrootedinthenativemindEvenatLoandatheyretireoutofthecityinordertoperformtheirheathenishriteswithoutthecognizanceoftheauthorities。
Theirreligion，ifsuchitmaybecalled，isoneofdreadNumbersofcharmsareemployedtoaverttheevilswithwhichtheyfeelthemselvestobeencompassedOccasionallyyoumeetaman，morecautiousormoretimidthantherest，withtwentyorthirtycharmsroundhisneckHeseemstoactupontheprincipleofProclus，inhisprayertoallthegodsandgoddesses：
amongsomanyhesurelymusthavetherightoneThedisrespectwhichEuropeanspaytotheobjectsoftheirfearistotheirmindsonlyanevidenceofgreatfolly。
Whilehere，Ireproducedthelastofmylostpapersandmaps；
andasthereisaposttwiceamonthfromLoanda，Ihadthehappinesstoreceiveapacketofthe“Times“，and，amongothernews，anaccountoftheRussianwaruptotheterriblechargeofthelightcavalry。
TheintenseanxietyIfelttohearmoremaybeimaginedbyeverytruepatriot；
butIwasforcedtobroodoninsilentthought，anduttermypoorprayersforfriendswhoperchancewerenownomore，untilIreachedtheothersideofthecontinent。
AconsiderabletradeiscarriedonbytheCassangemerchantswithallthesurroundingterritorybymeansofnativetraders，whomtheyterm“Pombeiros“。
Twoofthese，calledinthehistoryofAngola“thetradingblacks“
osfeirantespretos，PedroJoaoBaptistaandAntonioJose，havingbeensentbythefirstPortuguesetraderthatlivedatCassange，actuallyreturnedfromsomeofthePortuguesepossessionsintheEastwithlettersfromthegovernorofMozambiqueintheyear1815，proving，asisremarked，“thepossibilityofsoimportantacommunicationbetweenMozambiqueandLoanda。”ThisistheonlyinstanceofnativePortuguesesubjectscrossingthecontinentNoEuropeaneveraccomplishedit，thoughthisfacthaslatelybeenquotedasifthemenhadbeen
CaptainNeveswasnowactivelyengagedinpreparingapresent，worthaboutfiftypounds，tobesentbyPombeirostoMatiamvo。